ENSINO RELIGIOSO NAS ESCOLAS PÚBLICAS MUNICIPAIS DE FORTALEZA: EM BUSCA DE UMA IDENTIDADE

Abstract

This study sought to understand the main issues related to religious teaching in public schools, regarding the daily development of students, as well as regarding the historical and legal aspects. Given the current society's questions about religious teaching in public elementary schools and the changes in laws, it was decided to develop dissertation work. To this end, it was based on the city of Fortaleza (CE), where answers were sought to the following problem-questions: how is Religious Education worked in public schools? What is its relevance in the education of students? What kinds of methodologies are you using to teach religious teaching? As the main objective, this study sought to analyze the importance of Religious Education for the formation of students in the municipal public schools of Fortaleza (CE), as well as its relevance for the ethical formation and the identity of the students. Among the specific objectives was also intended to: a) describe the evolution of the curriculum matrix of Religious Education in public schools in Fortaleza (CE); b) highlight the importance of religious teaching for human development; c) identify how religious teaching classes are taught in public schools in Fortaleza (CE) and how they contribute to the formation of students; d) to observe if the religious teaching classes have respected the diversity of creeds. As justification, the present study reveals the difficulties of complying with the legal determinations. After all, Religious Education is part of the curriculum of schools of Basic Education and, as an area of knowledge, its pedagogical practice carries uncertainties and ambiguities regarding its nature and purpose. The issue of diversity is another item defined by law that is difficult to resolve given the difficulty of ensuring that all religious groups are adhered to by school curricula in a plural country. Another reason concerns respecting one's choices. In this sense, the study proposed here intends to show how the religious education teacher cannot impose his creed on the students, acting in a prejudiced manner, in case someone disagrees with their opinions; as it is necessary to ensure that students have the right to choose and exercise their faith as defined in the 'Citizen Constitution' of 1988.