Diversidade étnico-racial: a Lei Federal n.º 10.639/2003 e abordagens possíveis em sua aplicação.

Abstract

This research has been guided by the need to understand how teachers from the state school system in Cascavel understand and apply the Federal Law nº 10.639/2003 and thereby lead the education of ethnic-racial relations in the school space. The discussions here presented had as main theoretical methodological approaches the critical literacy (MCLAREN & LANKSHEAR, 1993; LANKSHEAR, 1994, 1997) and anti-racist education (DEI, 1996, CAVALLEIRO, 2001). Both approaches complement each other and focus on an education which is committed with the social justice (MCLAREN & LANKSHEAR, 1993, p. 414; DEI, 1996, p. 28). Critical literacy explores how linguistic practices are used in the production of social meanings, contributing to the maintenance of inequalities and injustices (MCLAREN & LANKSHEAR, 1993, p. 12), and, similarly to the anti-racist education, favours a type of teaching that educates for the ethnic-racial relations, to the detriment of multicultural folkloric approaches (Ibid, p. 408). For that, a research of the exploratory type has been developed, using the case study as method and the semi-structured interview and documental analysis as investigative instruments. This research has been developed during the months of November 2006 to November 2007, in two schools belonging to the state school system in the city of Cascavel, chosen at random. This research had fourteen teachers as participants, who, in the year of 2006, developed a thematic-pedagogical project under the theme afro-Brazilian and African culture and history, in compliance with the Federal Law No. 10.639/2003. The data obtained in the research seem to demonstrate that the activities developed to apply the law in the municipality of Cascavel, identify themselves with the prospect that McLaren (2000) termed as multiculturalisms of liberal tendency, where the questions related to diverseness are approached in a folkloric focus of diversity celebration. Thus, in the education of ethnic-racial relations in the school space it is preconised that we should be respectful to differences, because everyone is equal. The research did not observe any critical reflections in which students were instigated to reflect on the origin of differences, the means by which such differences are maintained in society and how they benefit or harm various social groups.