Stolen Voices: Critical Theoretical Perspective on School Violence

Abstract

This chapter posits a view that while adults' freedom and liberty is much talked about and advanced in almost every sphere of life, particularly in America, freedom and social justice for the young has lagged behind especially in schools. Violence within schools continues to manifest in various forms including the denial of opportunity for students to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect them. The chapter explored some critical theoretical perspectives to shed light on the depth of the crisis through the lens of the child and those advocating children's rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Theoretical narratives from Freire, Dahl, Foucault, Weber, Michels among others have been used to establish a deeper understanding. Despite being touted as the leader of the free world America still struggles to reconcile its liberal ideals with violence suffered in schools by some children.