The Neglect of Ethno-racial Issues and the Inaction of School Management in Teacher Training

Caio Cantanhede; Marcos Cesar Rodrigues de Miranda

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602752

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

This study discussed the neglect of ethnic-racial issues and the inaction of school management in the continuing education of teachers, despite Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08. The objective was to identify the level of priority given to anti-racism in daily school life and to propose a management methodology to combat racist and colonizing practices. A documentary research was conducted, analyzing 38 agendas from Collective Pedagogical Work Classes (ATPC) from a state public school in the Full-Time Education Program (PEI) in the city of São Paulo, over one year. The study was based on Paulo Freire’s liberating pedagogy, theories of democratic management, and the concepts of Coloniality and Epistemicide. The results indicated that, despite the legal framework, the implementation of the laws occurred episodically and superficially, often restricted to commemorative dates, evidencing the invisibility of ethnic-racial themes in training. The research indicated the implementation of a management methodology, such as Design Thinking, to initiate a cultural change project in the school environment. For this, the pedagogical coordination must act as an articulator of teacher training, playing a crucial role in overcoming sterile verbalism and transforming the school into an effective space for the decolonization of knowledge.

Keywords: Epistemicide; Teacher Education; School Management; Law 10.639/03; Ethno-Racial Relations.

1. Introduction

The anti-racist struggle in Brazil has a historical trajectory that dates back to the 16th century, with the organization of resistance movements such as the quilombolas, led by Zumbi, and uprisings like the Malê Revolt in the 19th century. In the 20th century, the creation of the Experimental Black Theater and the formation of movements like the Unified Black Movement, during the Brazilian civic-military dictatorship, marked the intensification of these battles. All these mobilizations culminated in a significant historical milestone: the 1988 Constitution, which established fundamental rights for Black people and made the practice of racism a crime in the country, a notable advance after centuries of permissiveness.

Despite legal advances, the commitment to inclusion and justice was historically boycotted by laws that deprived Black people of expressing their cultures, acquiring land, and accessing schools before the 1988 Constitution. This process of exclusion is understood by Quijano (2005) as Coloniality, the idea that the colonizer is superior to the colonized. This power dynamic is manifested in institutions, consolidating itself through the phenomenon of epistemicide, as described by Carneiro (2005).

Epistemicide consists of the concealment, suppression, or elimination of the cultural, religious, historical, anthropological, and biological agendas of the Black community, prioritizing discussions of interest to the white population. In this context, the school acts as one of the main agents of Black epistemicide by not addressing Afro-Brazilian literature, not debating racism, and not disseminating anti-racism and Afro-centered themes, neglecting the guidelines of the Constitution and the Law of Directives and Bases of National Education (LDB). Recent research corroborates this reality.

Regarding the implementation of anti-racist education in Brazil, the research by Almeida, Lima, and Silva (2025), conducted by Instituto Alana and the Institute of Black Women (Geledés), investigated 1,187 municipal education secretariats. The results indicated that 53% of schools carried out regular actions for the application of laws, 18% did not develop any anti-racist actions, and only 29% implemented concrete measures regularly. The study pointed to the predominance of sporadic and episodic actions, often restricted to commemorative dates, and attributed the superficiality to the lack of support from states and the Union for municipalities.

Almeida, Lima, and Silva’s (2025) research also highlights the difficulty in implementing anti-racist education laws in higher education, specifically among Pedagogy students. The course on Education of Ethnic-Racial Relations (ERER), offered as an elective, revealed the importance of racial literacy in initial teacher training, which should be continuous and extend to training conducted in the school environment. This suggests that the topic of anti-racism and Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08 are neglected in schools, receiving low priority and superficial or episodic treatment in the continuing education agendas (ATPC) proposed by the pedagogical coordination.

Given this scenario, this study is based on the discussion by Almeida, Lima and Silva (2025), on the liberating education approaches of Freire (2011), on the Afrocentric and anti-racist education of Carine (2023) and Gomes (2017), and on the school management perspectives of Paro (2017), Luck (2006), Libâneo (2013), Placco (2007) and on the management methodology of Brown (2017). The central problem lies in the inaction of school management and the neglect of ethnic-racial issues in teacher training, which prevents the effective implementation of anti-racist education.

The justification for this research lies in the urgency to understand and intervene in this context, seeking to identify the level of priority and deepening of the anti-racism theme in continuing education, analyze the impact of this superficiality on teaching practice, and propose management strategies so that the pedagogical coordinator can insert and deepen anti-racism in training agendas. Thus, the present work aims to identify the level of priority given to anti-racism in daily school life and indicate the implementation of a management methodology for the end of racist and colonizing practices, initiating a project of cultural change in the school space.

2. Material and Methods

This research was characterized by its documentary nature, seeking to identify the level of priority assigned to anti-racism in daily school life and to propose a management methodology to combat racist and colonizing practices. To this end, an in-depth analysis of pedagogical documents was carried out, based on a robust theoretical framework that guided the interpretation of the collected data.

The study defined its empirical object as a documentary corpus composed of 38 agendas for General Collective Pedagogical Work Classes (ATPCG). These agendas were collected from a state public school, part of the Full-Time Education Program (PEI), located in the central region of the city of São Paulo. The collection covered a full academic year, aiming for a comprehensive understanding of the formative practices.

The selection of the 38 topics occurred systematically, corresponding to all the weekly pedagogical meetings held at the institution over a one-year period. These topics constituted the primary material for the investigation, allowing for the observation of the school management’s performance record, specifically that of the pedagogical coordination, regarding continuous teacher training.

The analysis of the collected data was based on perspectives from Education and School Management, with theoretical support from Vitor Paro (2017), José Carlos Libâneo (2007), Heloísa Luck (2006), Vera Placco and Laurinda Almeida (2007), and Paulo Freire (2011). The Paulo Freire Method (2011) was employed as a framework to verify the applicability of the concepts of Praxis, Dialogue, Consciousness, and Generative Word in the formative documents, in relation to Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08.

Specifically, the training guidelines were analyzed to verify the degree of applicability of themes aimed at anti-racist, Afrocentric, and decolonial practices. The selection of content was observed, considering its social and formative relevance, and the sequential and progressive organization of the themes provided for in Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08 addressed in the training. The research focused on the existence, consistency, content, and approach of ethnic-racial themes.

For the second objective of the study, which consisted of indicating a management methodology to end racist and colonizing practices, Design Thinking was proposed, according to Brown (2017). This methodology was considered a contribution to designing a cultural change project in the school environment, aligning with the phases of Empathy, Ideation, Prototyping, and Implementation to support pedagogical coordination in the implementation of anti-racist laws.

The Empathy phase, in the context of the proposal, aimed to understand the needs and challenges of teachers, students, and the school community regarding racism. Ideation sought to generate creative solutions for the training agendas, while Prototyping encouraged the development and testing of new pedagogical resources. Finally, Implementation involved the small-scale application of new practices and curricula, with continuous monitoring and adjustments.

Thus, the methodology employed allowed not only the analysis of the current scenario of pedagogical formations, but also the proposition of a strategic path for school management. The articulation between documentary analysis and the theoretical framework provided the basis for indicating a management approach that aims to transform the school into a space for decolonization of knowledge.

3. Results and Discussion

This research sought to identify the level of priority assigned to anti-racist agendas in the school routine and to propose a management methodology to combat racist and colonizing practices. The results obtained from the documentary analysis of 38 agendas from Collective Pedagogical Work Classes (ATPC) at a state public school in the Full-Time Education Program (PEI) in the city of São Paulo, during one school year, revealed an intense invisibility and superficiality in the approach to ethnic-racial issues. This finding corroborates the initial hypothesis that Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08 are neglected in schools, receiving low priority and episodic treatment in the continuous training offered by the pedagogical coordination.

The quantitative analysis of the formative guidelines observed demonstrated that only 10.8% of the training addressed ethnic-racial themes explicitly, while 2.7% referred to inclusion guidelines more generically. The overwhelming majority, 86.5%, was dedicated to “other themes”, evidencing that racial literacy remains a peripheral issue in the school environment. This scenario of marginalization and silencing prevents the pedagogical debate on racism and diversity from occupying the centrality it deserves, transforming it into an adjacent subject, often restricted to commemorative dates, and not as a structural component of the curriculum.

The superficiality in the approach to ethnic-racial themes, as observed, manifests itself in episodic and decontextualized treatment. During the analyzed school year, racial themes appeared on only three occasions. One of them was due to the date of May 13th, commemorating the abolition of slavery; another, in November, in reference to Black Consciousness Day. The third occurrence was linked to the development of skills foreseen in the History and Art curriculum, indicating a punctual insertion, but not an organic and continuous integration of the theme in pedagogical planning.

This pattern of episodic and superficial approach in continuous teacher training, the ATPCs, reflects what Sueli Carneiro (2005) calls epistemicide. It is a systematic process of denial and devaluation of the knowledge, histories, and cultures of Black and Indigenous populations, which perpetuates the hegemony of Eurocentric knowledge. The school, by neglecting legal guidelines and Afrocentric agendas, acts as an agent of this epistemicide, depriving teachers of a solid and secure repertoire to address anti-racism in the classroom.

Several factors contribute to this formative gap and the perpetuation of epistemicide. The research identified excessive administrative bureaucracy as a significant obstacle, which overburdens professors and management, diverting focus from in-depth pedagogical training. Furthermore, the lack of preparation and absence of specialization among pedagogical coordinators on the topic of anti-racism were pointed out as crucial elements that hinder effective mediation and the articulation of consistent training actions.

The silencing of ethnic-racial issues in continuing education has a direct and negative impact on teaching practice and, consequently, on the student experience. Teachers who do not receive adequate and safe training on the subject tend to ignore it or address it superficially, compromising the effectiveness of Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08. The dissemination of these laws in the school’s official and unofficial curriculum is fundamental, as they highlight the importance of the subject as a competence and skill to be developed, requiring continuous preparation of professionals.

The analysis of formative agendas revealed that, in 86.5% of cases, ATPCs (Teacher Professional Development Activities) focused on bureaucratic and informational issues, such as deadlines for entering grades, start of vacations, dates for external assessments, and school logistics. This predominance of administrative themes, as detailed in Table 1, turned the training sessions into mere replicas of institutional reports, distancing them from the purpose of constant improvement and reflection on pedagogical practice, as advocated by Libâneo (2013).

The school management’s stance observed in the training sessions diverged from the principles of democratic and pedagogical leadership proposed by Paro (2017). Instead of acting as a facilitator of processes, a promoter of listening, and an encourager of participation, management was limited to reproducing institutional information. This approach neglects the human and humanized dimension of education, failing to build conditions of freedom, cooperation, and belonging, which are essential elements for truly democratic and anti-racist school management.

The absence of dialogue and praxis, fundamental concepts in Freire’s liberating pedagogy (2011), was a notable gap in the training. The expectations of finding a problem-posing approach, which would stimulate critical reflection on practices and reality, were frustrated. When ethnic-racial themes arose, teachers were invited to present their activities concisely and within a timed period, with no room for reflective deepening or for the collective construction of solutions, which resulted in sterile verbalism devoid of social transformation.

The ineffectiveness of pedagogical training, according to Libâneo’s perspective (2013), stems from the lack of promotion of constant improvement and the replication of institutional reports. The analysis of agendas and training demonstrated a superficial applicability of anti-racist themes, without reflective depth or sequential and progressive organization, as would be necessary for the effective fulfillment of Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08. The flexibility to adjust the plan to students’ needs, a crucial aspect in Libâneo (2011), also proved deficient.

The systemic vision in school management, according to Luck (2006), emphasizes the manager’s role as a facilitator and articulator, promoting an environment of participation and innovation. However, the research revealed that managers did not fully act in this role, which resulted in teachers addressing ethnic-racial issues on their own initiative, often due to a personal understanding of their importance or a specific curricular demand, without the support and continuous training from management.

The lack of critical racial literacy in school management, as pointed out by Placco and Almeida (2007), prevents the pedagogical coordinator from acting as an effective mediator between management and teachers. The analysis of the training agendas showed that the planning of the training was predominantly bureaucratic, focused on information from the Secretariat of Education and internal notices, with no room for study, reflection, or debate on relevant pedagogical topics, including ethnic-racial issues.

To combat epistemicide and management inaction, it is fundamental to understand the relationship between language and colonialism, as per Fanon (2008). The colonizer’s language, by functioning as an instrument of domination and alienation, explains the absence of anti-racist themes in curricula and the inaction of coordinators. The academic training of many managers, prior to 2015, often did not address ethnic-racial themes, perpetuating a Eurocentric pattern in curricular discourse.

The need for Democratic and Anti-racist School Management, as defended by Gomes (2017), is crucial for promoting equity and ethnic-racial diversity. Management must recognize cultural diversity as intrinsic to human formation, and not as an isolated “cross-cutting theme”. The research observed that the performance of the coordination of the analyzed school clashed with this perspective, requiring a review of actions based on racial literacy, Afro-centered training, and participation in debates and events of black movements.

The training of anti-racist educators, according to Pinheiro (2023), should not be a one-time event, but a continuous and collective process of deconstruction. The analysis of the agendas revealed that not all members of the school community were seen as educators in constant anti-racist training, including staff and parents. The training did not prepare educators to think about education from non-Westernized and non-racialized perspectives, perpetuating epistemicide and the invisibility of ethnic-racial agendas.

Given this scenario, the research proposes the implementation of a management methodology, such as Design Thinking (Brown, 2017), to initiate a cultural change project in the school. This human-centered approach challenges the *status quo* and the colonizing, racist, and Eurocentric “old ideas”, focusing on empathy and co-creation for the effective implementation of Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08.

Design Thinking supports pedagogical coordination through four main phases. The first, Empathy, requires the manager to understand the needs, challenges, and feelings of teachers and students (especially Black and Indigenous individuals) regarding racism and historical invisibility. This is done through immersion, interviews, observations, and active listening, allowing for the identification of how and where racism operates in the school environment and in pedagogical practice.

In the Ideation phase, the pedagogical coordinator can use techniques such as brainstorming and collaboration to generate creative and innovative solutions, centered on teachers and students. The objective is to promote teacher and student protagonism, ensuring that training proposals are built collectively, making teachers feel they belong to the solutions and, thus, overcoming sterile verbalism and inaction.

The Prototyping phase encourages the development of new pedagogical resources and the small-scale testing of content and practices. For example, a new Afrocentric didactic sequence can be tested with a small group of teachers, who will provide feedback to refine the training guidelines before large-scale implementation. This allows for learning from mistakes and addressing solutions more effectively.

Finally, the Implementation phase consists of the effective application of the new practices and curricula (“prototypes”) throughout the school. The pedagogical coordinator monitors the results, evaluates the impact in the classroom, and promotes specific adjustments. This methodology transforms legal obligation into significant, creative pedagogical actions centered on the real needs of teachers and students, actively promoting the end of racist ideas and the neglect of ethnic-racial laws.

In summary, the research revealed that the inaction of school management and the superficial treatment of ethnic-racial issues in continuing education perpetuate epistemicide and prevent the implementation of anti-racist education. The implementation of a management methodology such as Design Thinking offers a structured path for pedagogical coordination to act as an articulator, mediator, and motivator, transforming the school into a space for the decolonization of knowledge and the promotion of social justice, overcoming sterile verbosity and mere bureaucracy.

4. Conclusion

This study sought to identify the level of priority given to anti-racism in daily school life and to propose a management methodology to combat racist and colonizing practices. It was found that, despite the existence of Laws 10.639/03 and 11.645/08, the approach to ethnic-racial issues in Collective Pedagogical Work Classes (ATPC) occurred in a predominantly superficial and episodic manner. It was observed that most training sessions focused on administrative and bureaucratic themes, relegating discussions on racial literacy to specific moments, often linked to commemorative dates. This invisibility and the decontextualized treatment of ethnic-racial themes in teachers’ continuing education contributed to the maintenance of epistemicide and to the ineffectiveness of school management in promoting anti-racist education. It was identified that the excess of bureaucracy and the lack of specific preparation of pedagogical coordinators on the subject were factors that prevented effective mediation and the necessary deepening of the issue.

Given this scenario, the main contribution of this work lies in proposing Design Thinking as a management methodology to initiate a cultural change project in the school environment. This approach, centered on empathy, ideation, prototyping, and implementation, offers a structured path for pedagogical coordination to act as an articulator of teacher training, overcoming sterile verbalism and the mere reproduction of institutional reports. The application of this methodology allows for the transformation of legal obligations into significant pedagogical actions, promoting the decolonization of knowledge and the construction of a genuinely democratic and anti-racist school. It is suggested that future research explore the practical application of Design Thinking in different school contexts, evaluating its impact on continuing education and the effective implementation of anti-racist laws, consolidating a culture of equity and diversity.

Bibliographic References

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Brasil. Lei 10.639, de 9 de janeiro de 2003. Altera a Lei 9.394, de 20 de dezembro de 1996, que estabelece as diretrizes e bases da educação nacional. Diário Oficial da União: Seção 1, Brasília, DF, p.1, 10 jan. 2003. Disponível em: http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/2003/l10.639.htm. Acesso em: 20 abr. 2024

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Article originating from the Final Course Work of the Specialization in School Management of the MBA USP/Esalq

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