Childhood education and fighting racism: teachers’ perception on the enforcement of Brazil’s legal provision Lei n°10.639/2003

Abstract:

This article discusses aspects of the enforcement of legal provision Lei n°10.639/2003, which makes the teaching of the African and Afro-Brazilian History and Culture compulsory in public and private elementary and high-schools. To this end, it takes as object the perceptions of kindergarten and elementary school teachers on training opportunities related to racial themes and to the work their educational systems put into complying with said legislation. Teachers’ perceptions were collected through questionnaires applied to 3.316 professionals, from which answers were later analyzed. The analysis was carried out based on the theoretical framework about Education and ethnic and racial relations. The conclusions reinforce the need to offer continuing training to childhood teachers, as well as the expansion of monitoring mechanisms, and the evaluation of educational policy related to racial issues in basic education.

Keywords:
Lei n°10.639/2003; racial relations; teachers’ training