Divergent Pathways and Contradicting Dilemmas

Trenches that Complexify the Debate about the New High School Education

Abstract

Implementing the New High School law has provoked debates in education. This reflective essay aims to present different discourses about the New High School, perceiving them as clashes in trenches that guide divergent and convergent thoughts and opinions of researchers, the government, authors in education, teachers, and students. Eight trenches orientate the debates presented by this paper: a) the government versus the educators; b) neoliberalism and capitalism versus humanistic training; c) the workload increase at the New High School; d) the obligation to offer particular curricular components; e) the inclusion of professionals of notorious knowledge; f) the (in)existence of youth protagonism; g) the (lack of) attractiveness of High School for young people; and h) the insertion of digital technologies. In these trenches, it is possible to perceive that the identity of the High School is not yet clear and that, sometimes, not considering all the actors involved weakens any implementation proposals. Furthermore, it is evident that the different points of view on the same themes are part of the evolutionary process of education and are, therefore, relevant for the construction of new perceptions and for expanding the horizons of educational paradigms.