Paper Title
HIGH SCHOOL REFORM IN BRAZIL: EDUCATION AND THE (RE) PRODUCTION OF THE INTERESTS OF CAPITAL

Abstract
Abstract: Problem statement The latest High School Reform in Brazil is governed by Federal Law 13,415 of 2017, which makes changes to two prior laws that establish the guidelines and bases of national education. The changes in Brazilian education imposed by this reform serve to curb the revolutionary potential of schooling, aiming to serve the interests of the bourgeoisie, production and big capital, in detriment to those of the people. Methods This paper qualitatively analyzes the changes imposed by the new law and their consequences, not only for the Brazilian education system, but for society at large, using Althusser’s (1996) concept of Ideological State Apparatuses and Mészáros’ (2005) theorizations regarding education in capitalist society. We seek to understand why this reform emerged, instead of an alternative that could resolve structural issues in education, such as overcrowded classrooms and poor working conditions for teachers. Results In the changes imposed by the law, “technical and professional training” is included as an area of emphasis, of equal weight to languages, mathematics, natural sciences and human sciences. This means that the State, and not capitalist companies, now pays for training the private workforce. The inclusion of this training also guarantees the transmission of values that legitimize dominant interests (Althusser, 1996; Mészáros, 2005). At the same time, another change is that Art, Physical Education, Philosophy and Sociology are no longer mandatory during all three years of High School. The removal of the obligation to teach these subjects diminishes development of critical thinking, motor and cognitive skills, and creativity, thus ensuring that students will become good, disciplined workers who will not rebel against their bourgeois employers. Conclusions For the capitalist system to continue functioning, it needs not only skilled workers, but workers who have learned to believe in the ideology of the ruling class and submit to it voluntarily (Althusser, 1996; Mészáros, 2005). By imposing technical and professional training while eliminating mandatory teaching of Art, Physical Education, Philosophy and Sociology, the Brazilian High School Reform seeks to create disciplined workers rather than critical thinkers, thus serving the interests of capital rather than those of the people. Keywords - Brazilian High School Reform, Federal Law 13,415/2017, Disciplined Workers, Critical Thinking