Culturas de gestão democrática na rede municipal de ensino de Caxias do Sul/RS (1983-1996)

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the process of democratization of the municipal education system of Caxias do Sul/RS, between 1983 and 1996. It aims to identify and analize which cultures of democratic management can be evidenced, with attention to its practices. The timeline of this study has its starting point in 1983, when the first Public Education Symposium takes place, and it ends in 1996, a period of significant political change, which is marked by the reorganization of the Municipal Department of Education and Culture in Caxias do Sul and also by the publication of the new Law of Directives and Bases of National Education in Brazil. The theoretical perspective of this research is Cultural History and, for this reason, it has a theoretical and methodological framework of document analysis and oral history. It is grounded mainly by the contributions of Certeau (1985, 2012, 2014), Chartier (1994, 2002), Hall (1997, 2011, 2012) and Pesavento (2003) on culture, practices and representations.The documents reviewed in the analysis include legal texts, annual reports from the Municipal Department of Education and Culture, documents produced by teachers and students, interviews available at AHMJSA and oral history narratives from six different people connected to the education system of Caxias do Sul in the investigated time period and so forth. The results point to the realization of democratic practices and their unfolding lead to the construction of cultures of democratic management, which can be defined as systems of policies and practices of management that formed democratic processes in the education system of Caxias do Sul pertaining: a) practices of participatory openness and system organization; b) practices of expanded access and quality of education; c) practices of teacher qualification and d) practices concerning identity building of the municipal teacher. Therefore, there is indication of practices that brought about democratization, enhancing participation of different segments, and organization of the municipal education system with a view to participatory planning, thus ensuring improvement of education and teaching development. Furthermore, it is possible to highlight identity processes that denounced discredited representations linked to the municipal teachers and hence affirmed their identities. In conclusion, the findings point to policies and practices that democratized the education system of Caxias do Sul/RS between 1983 and 1996, by calling into question representations and establishing new ways of making educational management in the researched context. Therefore, the study aims to contribute by giving more visibility to the process of democratization of the education system in Caxias do Sul and by constituting a history that highlights processes of construction of the municipal teachers’ professional identities.