ABSTRACT
Chapter 9, ‘The Limitations of Democratic Student Voice Structures’, uses ethnographic data such as interviews and observations to argue that good relationships with teachers are a vital prerequisite to having voice as a student in school. Whilst democratic structures are important, they are not the ‘be all and end all’ of this process and there is a danger that the absence of voice at a more basic level may reinforce a lack of agency in school leading to resistant behaviour. It is demonstrated that young people know they cannot have everything they want and would accept compromise were their voices heard and school staff showed a willingness to cooperate with them. The desire for this agency manifests itself as non-compliance and a refusal to accept things as they are.
