Desafios na promoção da equidade para crianças negras: percepção sobre o racismo por profissionais de educação de escolas públicas da cidade de Manaus

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the perceptions of education professionals from public schools in the city of Manaus regarding racism. It is based on the understanding that structural racism is manifested daily in school institutions through exclusionary practices, eurocentric curricula, and stereotyped representations, directly impacting the self-esteem, sense of belonging, and school attendance of black children. The research, of a bibliographic and documentary nature, was developed through the analysis of theses and dissertations available on the BDTD platform, as well as works by black authors who discuss ethnic-racial relations in education, and the conducting of semi-structured interviews with education professionals from public schools in Manaus. The data analysis, based on Bardin’s (2016) content analysis technique, revealed that racism remains a scarcely discussed topic in schools, often silenced or minimized, and generally limited to occasional actions on commemorative dates. It was also observed that the lack of continuing education on ethnic-racial relations among professionals directly affects pedagogical practices, contributing to superficial or negligent approaches to racial issues. It is concluded that building an antiracist education requires breaking away from the colonial curriculum and institutionalizing practices that value afro-brazilian history and culture. The school, as a social space, must assume the political and pedagogical commitment to promote racial equity, ensuring black children’s right to recognize themselves positively in their identities and life paths.