Training dished out by Brazil’s homeschooling industry is encouraging parents to spank their children “calmly and patiently” as a teaching tool, a disturbing investigation by openDemocracy and Agência Pública has found.
Books, websites and videos seen by our journalists give parents tips on how to spank children and dodge the law – by avoiding major injuries, visible marks and public humiliation. They also say parents who do not punish their children with “the rod” do not love God or their children.
Brazil’s Senate is expected to vote this year on a bill that would legalise homeschooling, passed already by the Chamber of Deputies, as promised by president Jair Bolsonaro on his 2018 campaign trail – to the dismay of Unicef. It’s something that conservative groups and high-ranking members of his government have long pushed for despite the tiny size of the sector, which is estimated to cover just 0.03% of school-age children.
