Gestão democrática escolar:fundamentos, princípios e experiência na escola estadual São Miguel de Pontal do Araguaia/MT

Abstract

The present study aims to analyze the historical context of the implementation of democratic management in Brazilian schools and its reflexes in schools in the state of Mato Grosso, especially in the São Miguel State School, located in Pontal do Araguaia, MT, the locus of this research, providing a macro understanding of this school's micro scenario. The principles that guide a democratic school, consolidated with the redemocratization process of the country and supported by the National Education Directives and Bases Law (LDBEN/1996) and the Federal Constitution of 1988, are based on the participation of the school community in actions and decisions ocurring inside the school, both public and private. In addressing democratic management at the São Miguel school, we focus on issues related to decision-making processes, from the formulation and discussion of the Political Pedagogical Project (PPP), the school Regimen (SR) and the means of choosing the members of the School Community Deliberative Council (SCDC). During the research, the results indicated that, despite the historic struggle for education democratization, public schools, in particular, whether concerning director elections or SCDC member choices, still require advancements in the process, since most of managers are still unable to effect the real participation of the various segments in school decisions, partly due to conservative training or because they believe that neoliberal principles bring, in fact, school improvements, or even because they do not have institutional support from State Education Secretariats