THE SCHOOL COUNCIL IN AN EDUCATIONAL, DEMOCRATIC, AND PARTICIPATORY ENVIRONMENT: RESHAPING THE PARADIGM OF EDUCATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The objective of this article is to analyze the role and functionality of the School Council in an educational, democratic, and participatory environment, from the perspective of 21st-century educational paradigms. Thus, it demonstrates the differences between councils, their importance, and their functionality in contributing to the educational process at the Luiz Pereira Junior High School of Reference (EREM) in the municipality of Caetés (PE), within the sphere in which the school is situated for the exercise of its activities, as indicated by the concepts of Democratic and Participatory Management, where a Democratic State of Law is affirmed. From this, the analysis developed through a comparison of data with the perspectives of authors, legislation, and conceptions about Education Councils and Schools. There are still factors, misconceptions, and conceptual gaps that prevent the effective implementation of democratic and participatory management within Education Councils and School Councils. This includes identifying that certain priority segments lack social value due to political and personal interference from municipal/state administrations, directly resulting in a lack of transparency to society and the community in which the school is located, thus creating constant and unsolvable paradigms. It is recommended to seek the effective legitimacy of democratic and participatory management in public schools, bringing to the forefront of discussions a direct selection process for the school administrator position by the school community, as well as the inclusion of parent and/or guardian representatives in this position to proportionally validate the democratic process.