Tecendo a educação, desfiando o racismo: um estudo da educação antirracista na educação infantil na regional nordeste de Belo Horizonte

Abstract

Black identity is understood as a social, historical, and cultural construct, shaped through dialogical interactions promoted by socialization processes. Early childhood is recognized as a critical stage for the development of a positive racial self-concept in children from birth to seven years of age (Cavalleiro, 2020; Gomes, 2002). During this period, the majority of Brazilian children are enrolled in daycare centers and preschools, according to data from IBGE (2019): 14.6% of children aged zero to one; 55.4% aged two to three; and 92.7% aged four to five. In this context, implementing a decolonial curriculum in Early Childhood Education is essential to prevent gaps in the identity formation of Black children, considering that, as Passos and Pinheiro (2021, p. 120) affirm, “Eurocentrism, embedded in our curricula, negatively impacts the identity construction of Black children.” This dissertation aims to understand how decolonial education takes place in the Early Childhood Education network of the Belo Horizonte Municipal Government (BHMG), guided by the research question: “How is decolonial education enacted in the municipal Early Childhood Education system of Belo Horizonte?” The study also addresses the relationship between decolonial education and education for ethnic-racial relations, a term used to describe pedagogical practices that promote racial equity and confront the challenges posed by structural and individual racism within institutions. The analysis focuses on activities promoted by the Center for Studies on Ethnic-Racial Relations (CSERR), especially the continuing education sessions offered to educators in the Municipal Education Network (MEN), specifically in the Northeast Region (NR) of Belo Horizonte. The research methodology included participant observation in five CSERR-NR sessions and one extended coordination meeting, in addition to interviews with four Early Childhood Education teachers from the RME-RN. The findings indicate that, in the Northeast Region of Belo Horizonte, there are concrete actions, projects, and pedagogical practices aimed at fostering education for ethnic-racial relations in the Municipal Early Childhood Education Schools (ECES). Despite challenges posed by racism and resistance within the school community, teachers demonstrate resilience in sustaining practices that support positive ethnic-racial identity development.