School councils in situations of indiscipline and/or violence

This study aims to analyse the discourses of school councillors in relation to situations of indiscipline and violence at school, as well as the functioning of the School Council (SC) itself. The study was based on theoretical perspectives as well as empirical research in three public schools in the interior of São Paulo and uses two methodological tools: document analysis, minutes of the SC meetings in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and individual interviews in 2014 with representatives from different segments of the SC: headmaster; teacher; employee; parent or guardian and student. Our hypothesis that both school councillors and educators in general have great difficulties in dealing with issues of indiscipline and violence at school, especially in a democratic way, was supported by the data. We did not intend to generalise our analyses for a country that is continental in size and has great differences and diversities. Reflection on the role of the School Council permeates the work and brings with it thought-provoking aspects.