Why Rebellion Belongs in Your Kid’s Classroom

Celebrating the tradition of Homecoming is underway at many schools across Wisconsin. So, what do senior pranks, late-night mascot raids, and food fights have in common? Two longtime educators say it all represents a spirit of rebellion that schools may never intend to teach, but which students often learn anyway.

Jakob takes over another “Producer’s Choice” episode by asking Dr. Johnny Lupinacci and Dr. Tim Slekar, hosts of BustED Pencils, about the role of rebellion in American education. Both argue that while some youthful defiance can cross the line into disruption or harm, it also serves as an important developmental purpose.

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Listen to the entire episode here:

“Kids are being kids,” Lupinacci says. “When they pull off a senior prank or try to push a boundary, they’re really experimenting with what it means to be in community. Our job as educators isn’t to stamp it out completely but to guide it. And to make sure it doesn’t become destructive while still allowing students space to grow.”

Slekar recalls high school traditions that often blur the line between school spirit and mischief. He reminisces about sneaking onto rival campuses and dressing up statues before big games. And he believes these acts of playful dissent carry lessons of their own. 

“If we’re teaching patriotic citizenship, nothing is more patriotic than dissent,” Slekar says. “Peaceful disagreement is how young people learn to express grievances and eventually participate in democracy.”

Both hosts agree the challenges lie in navigating the gray area by encouraging healthy forms of resistance without letting it escalate. 

“Rebellion can be a form of communication,” Lupinacci says. “When students test boundaries, they’re often asking us: who cares enough to notice?”

The discussion closes with a reminder that rebellion, when channeled, is less about breaking rules and more about learning responsibility. 

“Sometimes the best lessons aren’t in the syllabus,” Slekar says. “It’s in the ways students figure out when — and how — to push back.”

Catch every episode of BustED Pencils here.