School life: its significance in the process of militarization of public schools

Abstract

This article analyzes the meanings of daily school life within the militarization process of Brazilian public schools, highlighting how institutional practices and languages are transformed under the logic of the "barracks-school." Drawing on references from Foucault, Freire, Santos, Sousa Santos, and Certeau, and employing Bakhtin's Dialogical Discourse Analysis, the authors seek to understand how Disciplinary Regulations (DRs) influence the school environment and its interactions. We demonstrate that militarization is not limited to a management model, but represents a process that negates the principle of democratic management, reinforcing educational and social inequalities, and converting the school into an instrument of social control. Furthermore, we point to structural issues, such as the deficit of resources and personnel in both public schools and military institutions, problematizing the transfer of military personnel to educational functions to the detriment of their original duties. The phenomenon of militarization is driven by discourses of excellence, discipline, and security, especially in contexts of political instability and the advancement of neoliberal and neoconservative policies, which primarily impact the most vulnerable segments of society. Therefore, this article proposes a critical reflection on the role of the school, the effects of militarization, and the challenges to ensuring civic and inclusive education.