“Which letter is this?”: racismo, school failure and medicalization in Patrick’s history

Abstract

In this essay we have tried to weave an articulation between school failure, medicalization, racism and poverty, grounded on the analysis of the documentary “Que letra é essa?” [“Which letter is this?”]. Recorded between 2002 and 2004, the award-winning video directed by Pedro Rocha introduces Patrick who, at nine years of age, was coursing the first grade for the third time. Patrick knew little, and, despite a history of flunking, he still attends the school and sits in the classroom without knowing how to read and write. Following an ethical-political path, our purpose was to achieve a sensitive listening situated in the inputs constructed by the kid’s teachers, parents, a couple of school peers, and Patrick himself regarding his school history, which was marked by a continuing blurring or a distorted hyper visibility. Our goal is to share a few clues that help to reflect upon the issue in order to break with the fake intelligibility produced by stigmatizing, bizarre explanations. Also, despite having been deeply criticized in the debate accumulated on the topic of poor and black children who do not learn at school, the problem is updated in Patrick’s history, as well as in so many other Patricks. Instead of catching and expelling from life, we try to point out perspectives that might nourish the teachers training – whether initial or continuing, within formal and informal scopes –, acting critically in the summoning prompted by the topic, championing for a school that plays an active role in the fight for human emancipation. A non-medicalizing school, although aware of the limits historically imposed.