Schools as damaging organisations: instigating a dialogue concerning alternative models of schooling

Abstract

Various injurious effects of schooling have been documented in the literature over the years, leading some authors to characterise schooling as violence. In this article we draw together such research to present an account of the ways in which schooling in the Global North damages young people (and their teachers). The range of damage includes: the reproduction of social inequality via schooling and the psychological injury and practices of harassment and exclusion this involves for pupils; institutional structures of discipline and surveillance; brutalisation of young people; and the effects of participation and experiences of these practices for teachers. As well as drawing together this research, the article also seeks to precipitate debate on forms and structures of schooling. We argue that it is insufficient to simply criticise existing practices; rather, we seek to instigate a dialogue as to possible alternative forms of schooling that would avoid the damaging effects of the present prevalent model.

Keywords:

• schools
• inequality
• social justice
• damage
• reproduction of inequality

Notes

1. This was the topic of a recent Keynote Debate at Roehampton University, organised by Becky Francis as Director of the Centre of Educational Research in Equalities, Policy and Pedagogy (CEREPP), which had a similar agenda in stimulating intellectual debate. Of course, it may be argued that the term ‘social justice’ has been rendered meaningless by banal overuse (and notably its hijacking by the Conservative Party and right-wing think tanks in the UK). However, we wish to re-assert the concept as underpinned by notions of social equality, care, and redistribution.

2. See http://www.myschool.edu.au.

3. The association between selection/streaming and social differentiation in achievement is highlighted by the OECD’s PISA study report (2007). It is noted that a long-term trend across OECD countries has been to reduce the amount of separation and tracking in secondary education. Schools that divided students by ability for all subjects tended to have lower student performance, on average. The PISA study shows that early differentiation of students by school is associated with wider than average socio-economic disparities, and not with better results overall.

4. Albeit certain initiatives are working towards more democratic, collaborative curriculum designs which include young people in the co-creation of the curriculum: see for example the RSA’s ‘Area Based Curriculum’.