Protests in education: 50 years (and counting)

• In Event: Protest, the Digital and Social Change

Proposal

Protests play a crucial role in driving social change and are fundamental for active citizen involvement in society. They empower individuals and groups to voice their perspectives and concerns, openly disagree, and assert their expectations from the government or other establishments. Protests related to education are no exception. And they are not new either. The earliest student protests were recorded in the 13th century in England and France. This work examines notable education protests and movements that captured public attention in the last 50 years worldwide and includes an overview of selected protests related to education in Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, and South America. Some of these protests were led by students, some by educators, and many were initiated by multiple stakeholders. The paper examines common themes (e.g., student rights, greater academic freedom, tuition fee increases, education budget cuts, demands for higher wages, improved working conditions in schools, social justice, etc.), but also unique causes.

Understandably, each protest had its own unique context, goals, and outcomes, but all played a role in highlighting important issues and fostering public dialogue about education policies and reforms. It is worth noting that many protests did not solely focus on education but played a significant role in advocating for education reforms. Such factors as cultural norms and legal frameworks of a given country greatly affect the scope of the protest.

Though the word “protest” is used here in its general form, the paper might mention the wide spectrum of protests: strikes, boycotts, demonstrations, rallies, marches, walkouts, sit-ins, occupations, petitions and letter campaigns, digital activism, artistic expressions, vigils, and memorials. The following framework is followed to present findings related to education protests: (1) the content analysis of selected documents is conducted to present contextual historical, social, and political analysis to understand the context in which the protest occurred and underlying issues and motivations; (2) objectives and demands put forth by the protesters are examined; (3) stakeholder perspectives (e.g., students, teachers, parents, administrators, policymakers, and the broader community) are reviewed to assess how different groups were impacted and their roles in the protest; (4) tactics and strategies (e.g., demonstrations, strikes, lobbying, or legal actions) employed by the protesters to raise awareness, create pressure, and bring about change are considered; (5) long- and short-term impact and outcomes (e.g., policy changes or shifts in public opinion resulting from the protest) are assessed; (6) dialogue and engagement between the protesters and relevant stakeholders, including educational authorities and policymakers, to evaluate the extent to which the protest facilitated constructive conversations, negotiations, or collaborative solutions; and (7) lessons learned from the protest and possible implications for future protests, civic engagement, or similar social movements are presented.

The history of education is not a professional focus of the author. However, the CIES 2024 topic became of interest as the author started her formal schooling about 50 years ago (thus the timeframe of the paper!) and has been an educator for about 30 years. Learning about the protests related to education and conducting an environmental scan leads to a new appreciation of the changes in education and society that those movements have brought about. In addition, the outcomes of this work might provide insights into lessons learned and future activism.

This paper is relevant to CIES 2024 as it directly addresses the main theme of the conference, describing the power of protests in education. The contribution builds on existing work through content analysis of online publications and systematized presentation of findings describing protests and movements on various continents, which might interest international participants of a CIES conference and beyond. The audience will benefit from having free access to the author’s online collection of resources at https://www.diigo.com/outliner/mwai7p/EdProtest?key=rqfwq8j3z7 to support the findings, provide additional information, and serve as a starting reference point.

Author

• Dina Vyortkina, Florida State University