The publisher of the Orixa book used in schools responds: “Religious racism”

On Monday (11/17), Editora Quatro Cantos reported on the incident in which the father of a child called the military police after discovering that his daughter had drawn Orixa Iansa, at an activity at the Municipal School of Early Childhood Education (Emei) Antonio Pinto, in Caxingoy, west of São Paulo. The design is inspired by the book Ciranda em Aruanda published by the publisher.

In a post on social media, the publisher published the report from Capitals About the issue, he said that he “will continue to believe in a future in which racism, including religious racism, is no longer part of our society.”

“We study the most diverse people in the school, studying their geographies, economies, agriculture and religions. We have never heard of any parent who opposes the study of Greek mythology, or the study of Christianity or Protestantism. Prejudice is directed towards religions of African origin, and this has a name: religious racism,” says the memo, which states that books like Siranda in Arwanda are essential to combating prejudice.

Conditional closure.

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Orixa Iansa’s drawing prompted the father of a student at a children’s school in São Paulo to call the police

Materials submitted to Metropoles

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Drawings by students of the EMEI Antônio Bento School in São Paulo in an activity entitled “Ciranda de Aruanda”

Materials submitted to Metropoles

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Drawings made by students of the EMEI Antonio Pinto School, in São Paulo, during an activity on African religions

Materials submitted to Metropoles

The publisher also highlighted Federal Law No. 10,639, which requires the inclusion of Afro-Brazilian history and culture in school curricula. Based on this law, one of Omi’s teachers read the book to the children. This work is part of the official collection of the Municipal Education Network.

Remember the case

• the The children’s book Ciranda in Aruanda features illustrations of 10 Orixás He presents, in short texts, the characteristics of the gods – for example, Oxusi is depicted as “the great guardian of the forest”. According to school officials, Children drew drawings based on stories.
• But one father decided to call the military police to the school after he discovered that his 4-year-old daughter had drawn a picture of the school. Orixa yansa. The case happened on Wednesday afternoon (12/11).
• The previous day (11/11), the father had already expressed his dissatisfaction with the activity, based on the anti-racist approach of the Municipal Education Network. He even tore down a mural with children’s drawings on it Which was displayed at school, according to the mother of one of the students.
• The next afternoon, he called the police and four armed officers entered the school. According to eyewitnesses, one of them was carrying a machine gun. They reported that they had received a complaint from a father stating that his daughter was being forced to give birth “The Category of African Religion”.
• The agents reportedly told the school administration that the school activity constituted “religious education” and stressed that the child was being forced to access content from a religion that was not his family’s religion. Witnesses considered this approach hostile.
• The school confirmed that the drawing was part of an activity with a children’s book. The Umi administration cited Laws No. 10639/03 and 11645/08, which make the teaching of Afro-Brazilian history and culture compulsory, and explained that the activity had no ideological character.
• However, the two prime ministers remained inside Omi for just over an hour. One mother who was at the scene said the officers showed “abuse of authority, intimidation of children and staff.” This situation could also have made the school principal feel ill, and she had to be dismissed.

What does SSP say?

The Public Security Secretariat stated, in a memorandum sent last Friday (11/14), that when responding to the incident, the police spoke with both parties – the father and the director of the educational institution.

“Both have been directed to file a police report, if they deem it necessary. The Prime Minister’s Internal Affairs Department is available to investigate any complaints about police conduct,” the ministry said.

The SSP also added that the use of weapons, which includes a machine gun, is part of police officers’ personal protective equipment (PPE) and is carried throughout their shift.

The city council says the father has been advised about activities involving Orixa

The City of São Paulo, through the Municipal Education Department (SME), reported that the student’s father received an explanation that the work submitted by his daughter is part of the collective production of the group.

“This activity is part of the pedagogical proposals of the school, which makes the teaching of Afro-Brazilian and indigenous history and culture mandatory within the curriculum of the City of São Paulo,” reinforced the municipal administration.