Elsa Estrela's opinion article addresses the question of who has the right to define the teaching profession. The author argues that no authority has formally decreed that the teaching profession should be built from the top down, meaning with decisions being imposed by superior bodies without the participation of the teachers themselves.
However, Estrela highlights that the device that decides who can train teachers operates according to this hierarchical assumption. This means that mechanisms for controlling and regulating teacher training are defined by instances that do not necessarily include the voice of education professionals.
The reflection proposed by the author questions this power structure in defining professional standards for teaching, suggesting that there is a contradiction between the discourse on professional autonomy and the practice of imposing guidelines without consulting the stakeholders involved.
The text invites critical analysis on how the teaching profession is regulated and who really participates in these decisions that directly affect the training and practice of the educational career.
