From Crisis to Commons? Exploring the Potential of the Commons Via Two Secondary Education Case Studies in Flanders

Education in Flanders—the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium—is currently facing what many describe as a crisis, marked by quality erosion and social inequalities. These issues have brought about a highly politicized and polarized debate that has led to a sole focus on achieving cognitive test outcomes, side-lining the importance of equity and social justice. In response to this, a growing number of academics and practitioners are actively exploring alternative educational frameworks, with the ‘commons’ framework gaining prominence in this context. This chapter delves into the implementation of two commons-based projects within secondary schools in Flanders, highlighting the challenges faced in implementing commons principles within traditional educational settings. These challenges include resistance from teachers entrenched in the existing educational culture, the tendency to consider the commons as an individual responsibility rather than a collective commitment and the risk of instrumentalizing the commons by prioritizing outcomes over the participatory process. While commons-based initiatives face substantial hurdles within the current educational landscape, they offer a useful alternative horizon that challenges the status quo and may help bridge the gap between educational ideals and reality in Flanders and elsewhere.