Primavera das meninas: o encontro dos feminismos com as escolas e propostas pedagógicas em diálogo com a sociologia

Abstract

This study proposes a sociological and historical approach to examining the role of the Student Movement, feminism, and cyberactivism, as well as pedagogical initiatives in the fight against sexism in schools. The overall aim is to question the marks of structural sexism within schools, while the specific objectives are to reflect on the school’s role in addressing sexism and to develop pedagogical materials that promote gender equity in education. The text highlights the wave of School Occupations in 2015 and 2016, led largely by young women, which—together with cyberactivism—amplified the strength of the student movement. From this perspective, we draw on our own experiences in observing how school-based struggles were connected to the creation of a Gender Studies Center in 2015. Another key point discussed in this work is the #exposedfortal movement of 2020, which used social media as a tool to expose sexual harassment perpetrated by male teachers. We argue that schools remain spaces where gender-based violence persists, and that feminism, when embraced by younger generations, can shed light on and transform abusive behaviors. The study also underscores the challenges and obstacles in confronting sexism in schools, with particular emphasis on the difficulties of reporting sexual harassment cases through the Ceará Department of Education (SEDUC). Complaints filed through its ombuds office are often redirected back to school management, thereby exposing the victims and subjecting them to further moral harassment. Finally, the study presents two pedagogical intervention proposals currently being applied in humanities classes, combining sociological and historical perspectives on gender issues. The first is an anti-harassment project, “No Means No,” which draws on the sociological lens of carnival to discuss behavioral aspects of harassment and how to identify them. The second pedagogical proposal focuses on promoting and making visible the presence of women in the curriculum of History, Philosophy, and Sociology, in line with Law 14.986/2024. This study demonstrates that the fight against sexism takes multiple forms within the school environment—from student mobilization and organization to the integration of content in the classroom—highlighting the responsibility schools bear in this demanding task.