São Paulo, Brazil — Brazil’s economy, a huge corruption scandal at a state-owned oil company and, more recently, impeachment proceedings against President Dilma Rousseff have dominated the news about this country recently. But it’s another crisis in the state of São Paulo that has the potential to shape democracy in the country for years to come. That’s because this crisis — a huge protest in response to the state’s plan to close 94 public schools — involves some of the country’s youngest citizens: elementary, middle and high school students.

In October, without discussing the decision with teachers, parents or students, the São Paulo state government announced during a television interview that dozens of schools would be closed next year. The plan is part of a consolidation intended to streamline the use of resources by grouping students into specific schools for each educational level. More than 300,000 students will be affected; many will be sent to overcrowded schools far from their homes.

The response to the announcement was immediate. First, the teachers’ union organized protests, but they were ignored. Then, students protested in their neighborhoods, hoping to raise awareness among community members. They were ignored. Finally, on Nov. 9, a handful of students decided to occupy a school in the metropolitan area of São Paulo. Within a week, nearly 100 schools had been occupied, and, a week later, 200.

Although they enjoy broad support from parents, neighbors, teachers and the wider community, the students have faced tough resistance from the state government. Initially, the state tried to have the police remove the students by force, but that effort was quashed by the judiciary, which suggested that the government sit down with the protesters to negotiate a solution. So far that has not happened. Instead, in an audio recording of a meeting with school administrators that was leaked to the press, the government can be heard devising a “war” strategy to discredit the students.