CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE, EDUCATION, AND COMBATING RACISM IN PARNAÍBA (PI): PERSPECTIVES AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN THE EARLY YEARS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This article intends to investigate how the public school in Parnaíba (PI) has developed work with children's and young adult literature focused on the education of ethnic-racial relations, identifying authors and works used, the challenges in the process, and the pedagogical practices carried out, in light of Law No. 11.645/2008. Based on authors such as Gomes (2017), Freire (1996), and Munanga (1999), the study will address the importance of children's and young adult literature as an anti-racist and formative tool, considering its role in the construction of identities and the deconstruction of stereotypes. The research has an ethnographic character and a qualitative approach, conducted in two public schools in the municipality of Parnaíba, through interviews with teachers, data collection through the analysis of the Political-Pedagogical Projects (PPP), and the available literary collection. The results reveal that, although there are initiatives, the application of the legislation still occurs predominantly on specific commemorative dates, with difficulties related to the scarcity of literary works, lack of teacher training, and institutional resistance to addressing the topic in a continuous manner. Cases of prejudice are still reported in the school environment, with literature being used as a pedagogical resource to mediate conflicts and promote reflections. In the end, the study proposes methodological guidelines for improving educational actions with children's and young adult literature, aiming to strengthen the fight against racism and the recognition of cultural diversity in the school context.