A concepção e o uso do conceito de fracasso escolar no jornal Folha de S. Paulo (1958-2008)

Abstract

This work looks into the creation of the expression “fracasso escolar” [school failure], its concept and use in the articles of the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper between 1958 and 2008 --this is the time lapse where the expression becomes “usual”, as for reporters/writers and readers. We start from the hypothesis that the newspaper (through its writers at the time) does not only participate in the dissemination of the expression, but participates in its own new formulation, conceptualization. From this point of view, we analyze the press from its political standpoint, placing it at the same time as source of and the object of this research. In more than 100 articles, the expression “school failure” [fracasso escolar] started being related to deficits diagnostic on the students ability to learn, shifting later to relate the “problem” to the school or to the educational system as a whole. Folha´s perspective gives more space and voice to the experts instead of listening more to the public education community, meaning teachers, principals, parents and the students themselves. The theoretical reference includes works such as Souza (2008), Patto (1999), Charlot (2006), Soares (1995), Chartier (1995), Morin (2005), Traquina (2004), Sodré (2008) and Arbex (2002)