Education and violence

a testimony on helplessness and psychological suffering in the brazilian teaching reality

Abstract

This article aims to critically reflect on the attacks against schools, which testify to a broader issue of violence, and that greatly impact both the work and private life of the nearly 2.2 million teachers in Brazil who work in basic education. It begins as a personal account of someone who, as a teacher, is directly involved and mobilized by the issue. That said, the work of teachers in Brazil is one of helplessness and abandonment evidenced by the negligent stance of government officials and the excessive demands made by society and even the teachers’ families. As a result, we see uninspired professionals in a hostile environment, undervalued in many ways, vulnerable, both physically and mentally ill, showing that violence against teachers goes beyond the one experienced between school walls.