Teacher's authority and school role are discussed from the propositions presented by Giorgio Agamben on cotemporary mankind, from Hannah Arendt concepts on collective responsibility and Karl Marx ideas on the alienation phenomenon. The social and political excitement typical of our current time challenges educators; the adult's irresponsibility regarding new generations defies teachers; and the demands of the Brazilian present reality confronting school are here problematized, accounting for the teacher's authority as a decisive aspect of the social role of school towards an ongoing commitment against all kinds of indifference and alienation.
Teacher's Authority; Indifference; Collective Responsibility; Alienation