The principle of compulsory school attendance means an interference of the authorities to create socialization spaces that lead to an equality of opportunities in the provision of basic knowledge and acquisition of basic reference values. Such principle has been contested by the North-American movement for home schooling, which has equivalents in Brazil. In addition to presenting historical aspects that are crucial to understand mandatory school attendance in Brazil, this paper points out legal texts and their official (definitive) interpretation and the conceptions and arguments that ground both positions.
Compulsory school attendance; Home schooling; School education