Schooling Against the Grain: Alternative Education as Ideological Resistance

• In Event: Unlearning Failure: Black Scholars and the Promise of Educational Transformation in Global Contexts

Abstract

This paper examines how alternative education models function as sites of ideological resistance to the dominant structures and logics of mainstream education. This research is grounded in a critical analysis of the historical foundations of formal schooling, particularly its roots in the Prussian model. The study explores how prevailing social ideologies are reproduced through educational structures, practices, and cultural norms. Drawing on movements of cultural, political, and social resistance, the paper analyzes how alternative schools intentionally disrupt these norms by centering values such as liberation, equity, and self-determination. It introduces an original framework designed to help educators and educational leaders identify and confront harmful ideologies embedded within their systems. Through qualitative analysis of case studies and counter-narratives, this work highlights how alternative educational spaces use organizational structures, pedagogical practices, and community engagement to foster transformative possibilities. Ultimately, the paper argues for reimagining schooling as an ideologically conscious practice, one capable of resisting dominant paradigms and nurturing more equitable, liberatory futures.

Authors

• Bodunrin O. Banwo, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Ezekiel Joubert, California State University - Los Angeles