Cleaning out his life savings of seven thousand dollars, Danny Mydlack launched Baltimore’s first and only democratic school in September of 2008. Alone, Danny and his partner Caroline Chavasse renovated an eight thousand square-foot church hall rental in Baltimore City. Starting with twelve kids and three adults, they hung up their coats and drafted their first rule book. No compulsory classes or tests. No grades. No segregation by age. Rule enforcement by peer jury. 

Nearly ten years later, Arts & Ideas Sudbury School has moved into its self-financed million-dollar campus and has enrolled seventy six students for the current year. Arts and Ideas boasts the lowest tuition of any private school in the region with an almost entirely working-class clientele.

“My position at Towson University with its emphasis on community engagement is directly responsible for this unique private/public partnership” Danny Myklack, Associate Professor, Electronic Film & Media