A patologização dos desafios escolares como forma de violação ao direito à educação

Abstract

This work aims to investigate, from a legal perspective, a perverse aspect of the Brazilian educational system: the medicalization of school failure. From the analysis of articles and studies mainly related to education, but also to medicine and pharmacology, we found that learning disabilities are often considered the cause of poor performance in schools. These children, considered as having psychiatric disorders – especially Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – are medicalized with highly controlled and potentially dangerous psychostimulants. Initially, we discuss about the right to education and the history of the Brazilian educational system, exposing the crisis in the traditional school system. After facing the medicalization of school failure, we propose the view that this phenomenon is the manifestation of the failure of the educational system itself. Furthermore, it’s urgent to bring this discussion to the legal context and draw attention to this perverse condition imposed on children. Therefore, Law, from an interdisciplinary debate, may seek new directions for Brazilian education.