Percepções de professoras/es sobre a educação antirracista - contribuições da psicologia escolar

Abstract

The Federal Council of Psychology identifies racism as an ideology with vast, complex, systemic, and violent reach, permeating and influencing culture, economy, politics, ethics, social and subjective life, as well as institutional structures. It profoundly affects educational institutions in Brazil, hindering academic trajectories and undermining the human right to quality education for millions of children, adolescents, youth, and adults. In response, anti-racist education, supported by critical School Psychology, seeks to promote prejudice-free teaching, assisting teachers, administrators, students, and families in building and maintaining an anti-racist environment. This approach actively combats all forms of racism and strives to ensure inclusive, quality education for children and adolescents. The general objective of this research was to understand teachers' perceptions of anti-racist education initiatives implemented in public and private schools. The study employed an online questionnaire with 31 questions to assess participants' knowledge of anti-racism, how the topic is addressed in their schools, how institutions handle racist incidents, and the role of school psychologists in such situations. The questionnaire was distributed to teachers and supervisors in public and private schools in the cities of Pirapora and Uberlândia, both in the state of Minas Gerais. We received 25 responses, with 84% from women. Among participants, 40% identified as mixed-race (Pardo), 32% as white, and 28% as Black. The results indicate that schools have primarily focused on teaching about differences, respect, and African culture as part of anti-racist education. There was little mention of promoting Black leadership and representation in daily activities. Anti-racist practices in schools generally emerge in response to specific incidents, as many respondents claimed there were no cases of racism in their institutions. The role of the school psychologist is typically sought only when a specific racist incident occurs. Although anti-racist education is recognized as important in schools, it is still largely understood as a method for preventing or resolving racist acts rather than fostering a broader anti-racist school culture and Black empowerment in everyday institutional practices. Attention remains heavily focused on reactive measures rather than addressing the root causes of racism. This understanding highlights another crucial area for School Psychology to engage with in our educational institutions.