Abstract

BRITTO, Tatiana Feitosa de. What teachers can (not) say? The Canadian experience and “Escola sem Partido”. Rev. Bras. Educ. [online]. 2019, vol.24, e240019.  Epub May 22, 2019. ISSN 1809-449X.  https://doi.org/10.1590/s1413-24782019240019.

The paper discusses the policy debate prompted by Escola sem Partido in contrast with the scope of freedom of expression for public schoolteachers in Canada. The Canadian experience is drawn from legislation and landmark case law so as to provide a frame to reflect on the Brazilian debate. Our findings point to four dimensions of the issue in Canada: extended sites of control for teachers’ expression due to their professional identity; interdiction to engage in discriminatory or hate speech; value attached to cognitive dissonance as a pedagogical tool for addressing sensitive topics in class; and possibilities for engaging in political advocacy in the education field. The analysis concludes that the binomial of trust/responsibility guides the interpretation of teachers’ freedom of expression in Canada, in contrast with premises and practices of Escola sem Partido.

Keywords : Escola sem Partido; freedom of expression; Canada; schoolteachers.

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