ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case of resistance to academic content lacking rigor from an unexpected group—students in an alternative school program. It addresses the unintended outcome of the development of critical consciousness among students as a result of their resistance to an unchallenging curriculum. The chapter examines the first year in the life of an alternative education program that served students with a myriad of problems that impacted their academic performance. It focuses on the narrated perceptions of the students and teachers regarding the value of the program and the specific themes that emerged. The behavior categorized as passive aggressive included incidents of ignoring direct instructions from teachers, disposing of school work, walking out of classrooms, and leaving school grounds without permission. The aggressive behavior included talking or shouting over teachers in and out of the classroom, mumbling threats to teachers or other students, throwing objects, and standing on desks behind the backs of teachers.
