Violence, school and society

perceptions, setbacks and perspectives in Brazilian Western Amazon

Abstract

Violence, considered to be that which “comes from outside” and interferes in the school environment internal dynamics, in its various manifestations, is systematically increasing in Brazilian society, which requires research aimed at better understanding its specificities in each context in order to implement actions to address it. This article presents conceptual and historical elements that help to think about the topic in its broadest aspects, as well
as analyses interviews conducted with teachers and school administrators from three cities of Western Amazon
of Brazil’s four states: Cruzeiro do Sul/AC, Manaus/AM and Porto Velho/RO, participants in the National Survey “Prejudice and Violence in Schools”, in relation to analyses of Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security, which presents data from a questionnaire answered by school administrators in the “Prova Brasil” exam. The related analyses highlight the complexity and severity of the problems concerning violence and prejudice faced in everyday school life, expressing the need for integrated actions involving schools, families and State authorities, with a focus on
prevention, awareness and strengthening of community ties. The impressions of teachers and administrators, in
dialogue with current data on violence in Brazilian schools, suggest that there are no ongoing medium-and longterm
actions by the State aimed at confronting violence in schools through awareness-raising and education. On the other hand, the schools militarization increase in Acre, Amazonas and Rondônia states reveals a State action validated as the main strategy for confronting school violence.