Editoriale : a che punto è la notte? Il mondo della scuola e l'ossessione della Grande Riforma

Starting with the 1990s the long-term paralysis that for decades had crippled the Italian school system has been broken by a series of repeated attempts of reform, poorly received by most of those who live and work in the school system. These attempts have all been characterized by a neoliberal approach, centred on different versions of the so-called «school autonomy» - initially perceived as an opportunity for more freedom as against the slow, intrusive and ubiquitous presence of State bureaucracy. This article looks at the different stages in this 25-year-long process, characterized by increasing budget cuts, large and vibrant protest movements, the economic crisis, and the political and cultural hegemony of the right-wing parties, advocating for a more hierarchical restructuring of schools, teaching and students as well as an entrepreneurial, privatistic and vocational view of education.