The Brooklyn Free School (BFS) places the highest emphasis on the personal development of each student and seeks to minimize, or if possible eliminate completely, undue influence, pressure and stress that accrue from expectations on students to acquire the accepted wisdom of present day society or meet arbitrary standards, so that each child can become an independent learner and thinker.
BFS is a true democratic school for children of all ages. Each child and staff member will have an equal voice in major decisions (and minor ones) affecting the day-to-day running of the school.
BFS believes that all children are natural learners and they are fully supported to pursue any interest they have, in the manner they choose, at their own pace, and for as long as they want to, as long as they do not restrict any other person's right to do the same.
Admissions to the school are not based on ethnicity, income level or geographic location.
The school takes full advantage of the tremendous diversity of individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities that the City of New York, and the entire Metro area, has to offer to build on students' interests.
No one (students, staff, or visitors) is discouraged from offering a class, event, or activity to the school, provided that it is non-compulsory.
The school will spread the news about the effectiveness of democratic/free schooling in the New York area to promote the growth of non-coercive education throughout the country and the world.
The Brooklyn Free School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identification in the administration of its educational policy, scholarship and loan programs, admissions and other school-administered programs.