Brazilian Couple Sentenced for Homeschooling

A Brazilian couple have been sentenced to 50 days in jail for homeschooling their daughters outside the state system, the European Conservative reported.

Adauto and Ieda Denardi were convicted of “intellectual neglect” after educating their daughters at home. According to ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group supporting the family’s appeal, the court found that the home curriculum did not include sufficient teaching on “gender and sex education” and “tolerance and diversity”.

The ruling drew attention partly because the prosecutor had recommended acquittal and an independent educational psychologist found no sign of neglect. According to the report, the girls, aged 15 and 11, are accomplished pianists and speak several languages.

The family said it began homeschooling during the pandemic after becoming dissatisfied with the public education system and later saw significant improvements in the girls’ academic performance.

According to ADF International, the judge accused the parents of using their daughters as “pawns in an ideological struggle” and ruled that their education had taken place outside state oversight.

The sentence has been suspended pending appeal. Supporters of the family say the Denardis are the first parents in Brazil to receive a criminal conviction for homeschooling their children.

(mja)