On Intersectional Inequities of Brazilian Public Early Education

• In Event: Cultivating Equitable and Racially Just Teaching and Learning: An Imperative in Brazilian Public Schools

Abstract

Municipal systems are charged with the early education of low-/no-income Black Brazilians. In Brazil, public early education has long been deemed to be of low quality, being blamed for the construction of the achievement gap, which reifies low-/no-income Black students as needing remediation. Under the guise of bettering education, Brazil undertook the development of new standards (BNCC, the Brazilian Common Core). During the year BNCC was implemented, within one low-income municipality, we asked: How do local education leaders and teachers perceive low-/no-income Black children and their families and how will their perceptions influence the implementation of BNCC?; How does the BNCC implementation inform pedagogical practices and the relationships among teachers, young children and their families? Data was collected via participant observations in municipal preschools, a series of three interviews with educators (Seidman, 2019), focus groups with families, and the analysis of artifacts. Findings—albeit situated (Dyson & Genishi, 2005)—shed light onto the stronghold of racist ideologies in early education. Implications point toward the need to engage teachers and education leaders in racial identity development, in anti-racist learning, and in recognizing the brilliance and ingenuity of Black children.

Authors

• Cristina Massot Madeira-Coelho, Universidade de Brasilia

• Rhaisa Pael Farias

• Carolina Velho, Universidade de Brasília