How we can address unrest in schools

As schools reopen, we should remember that the grievances and tensions that fuelled the unrest earlier in the year did not go on holiday. Students return to the same institutions and many of the same conditions.

Many schools still operate on a culture of blind compliance, where communication is largely one-sided and student voices have few meaningful avenues of expression.

Adolescence marks the final transition to adulthood, and with it comes a different way of relating with authority.

Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson described it as a critical stage of identity formation, when young people begin to re-examine inherited beliefs and values and develop a stronger sense of autonomy.

This can include testing boundaries and questioning established authority. We often mistake this for rebellion.

Adults question authority too. We challenge government policies. We appeal court decisions. Negotiate workplace rules.

Teenagers are beginning to navigate this same relationship with authority, only with little experience and less nuanced ways of expressing dissent. They are doing so in a digital environment saturated with activism and polarising content.

We expect students to behave like responsible citizens while giving them little opportunity to practice responsible participation. Let us learn from the organisational psychology of high-performing institutions.