The power of language: how Lorenzo Milani redefined education

Can language change lives? For Lorenzo Milani, an Italian priest and educator, the answer was a resounding yes. His work with peasants and labourers at the small Tuscan school of Barbiana was not just a pedagogical method, but an act of social liberation.

This post is about how Milani revolutionised education through language, why his work continues to inspire today, and the tensions that arose between his Christian values and the policies of the Catholic Church. We also take a look at the Italy of his time and Milani’s eventful biography.

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Lorenzo Milani: a brief biography of a radical educator

Lorenzo Milani was born in Florence in 1923 into a wealthy, secular family. His youth was characterised by art and culture, but his turn to religion and his later entry into the seminary provided a radical turning point in his life. After his ordination in 1947, Milani worked in rural parishes, most notably in Barbiana, a remote village in Tuscany.

There he founded the School of Barbiana, which became a symbol of inclusive education. Milani devoted himself entirely to the task of providing education to children from poor backgrounds. His unconventional methods and uncompromising attitude towards social injustice earned him recognition, but also conflict with the Catholic Church and political authorities.

Milani died of leukaemia in 1967, but left behind a significant legacy, particularly through works such as Lettera a una professoressa (1967), which was written by his students and criticised Italy’s school system.

Italy in Lorenzo Milani’s time

In the years following the Second World War, Italy was in a state of political and social upheaval. The economy was slow to recover, and the gap between rich and poor was particularly noticeable in rural areas.

Challenges of the post-war period:

• High illiteracy rate: In the 1950s, a large proportion of Italy’s rural population was still illiterate or had only a low level of education.
• Social inequality: Large estates and poverty shaped the lives of many people in regions such as Tuscany.
• Church and state: The Catholic Church played a central role in public life, but was closely linked to conservative political forces, which often hindered change.

The Catholic Church and Milani

While the church officially preached social justice, it often sided with the elites. Milani openly criticised these double standards and questioned whether the church was betraying its mission by ignoring the voice of the poor.

Lorenzo Milani’s letter: a radical vision for education

In 1956, Lorenzo Milani wrote a remarkable letter to the editor of the Giornale del Mattino. In it, he described his eight years of experience as a teacher of farmers and labourers. Milani described how he focused his lessons on language and etymology:

‘I do nothing but language. I recall etymology ten or twenty times a night. I break down words, letting them appear as living beings that experience birth, development and deformation.’

At first, the students found this method of little use. But gradually they discovered the joy of understanding and using language:

• one passed his driving test.
• Another was able to read and critically analyse political newspapers.
• A third immersed himself in Russian literature.

Milani showed that language can be the key to overcoming social barriers. By understanding words, his students were not only able to grasp their environment, but also to change it.

Language as the key to social liberation

Lorenzo Milani saw language as a tool for emancipation. His students learned to use language to defend themselves against injustice and manipulation.

Milani’s methodology at a glance:

• Etymology as foundation: By researching the origins of words, students learned to decode layers of meaning.
• Practical applications: Language was used directly in real-life contexts, be it in exams, political analysis or public discourse.
• Critical thinking: Milani motivated his students to expose empty rhetoric and question arguments.

Christian values and the Catholic Church: A field of tension

Milani was a man of faith, but also a critical and uncomfortable critic of the Catholic Church of his time. While he lived the Christian values of justice and charity, he often saw the church as entangled in conservative power structures.

Conflicts with the Church:

• Social inequality: Milani criticised the church’s passivity in the face of poverty.
• Pacifism: His anti-militarist writings, such as Obedience is no longer a Virtue (1965), provoked church authorities.
• Education as resistance: His radical philosophy of education challenged traditional hierarchies.

Milani called for a church that actively works with the underprivileged, rather than limiting its role to moral authority.

Conclusion: Milani’s legacy for education and social justice

Milani showed that education is more than the imparting of knowledge. It is a tool for liberation and a way to fight social injustice. His work inspires us to see language not only as a means of communication, but as a key to change.

The question remains: how can we apply Milani’s principles in today’s society?