An encounter with hierarchy

Alessandra Bilani

I'm going to tell you the story of a Freinet school where the teachers organized a workshop session. Several students proposed workshops and prepared them well. They were given the necessary materials and spaces. The posters were posted and many students signed up for the workshops that interested them. 

The day before the workshops, a student who hadn't signed up yet looked at the posters with the different options. Several workshops seemed interesting, but none of them really spoke to her. In addition, she saw that several had been cancelled. So she decided to propose a new workshop. She went to see a teacher responsible for the organization and asked if she could add one.

• It's not possible, the teacher replied.

• Why? the student asked.

• There is a protocol to follow.

• Why?

• We don't have any classrooms available, and we need to provide materials.

• I don't need anything for my workshop. And I will find a space where we can talk myself. Also, I saw that some workshops have been cancelled.

The teacher looks at her organization sheets.

• There is only one workshop that has been cancelled.

• So?

• Sorry, it's not possible.

Filled with incomprehension after this exchange, she still writes a description of her workshop in three languages ​​so that each participant can understand it and feel welcome. She contacts another teacher and asks her to pass the description on to the students.

• Have you already registered it with the responsible teachers? asks the second teacher.

• No, I was told that it was not possible. But I don't need any materials or any specific class.

• I'm sorry, but the registration period has passed.

• That's really too bad. I don't see the problem. I'm just asking you to communicate it. I have to do the communication on my own then.

• We have people in charge to make sure the organization runs smoothly. It took us two years of work. We ask you to respect the organization.

And that is how a personal initiative, proposed with the idea of ​​serving the community, was suppressed by the hierarchy, with the only explanation that there is an order to respect.
Any resemblance to actual events or persons is not coincidental.