The Justice of Brazil sentenced Audato and Ieda Denardi, parents of two girls aged 11 and 15, to 50 days in prison on the charge of “intellectual negligence”.
The decision, issued by a criminal court in São Paulo, is based on the fact that the minors were homeschooled without following a curriculum approved by the State, which generated significant controversy, especially regarding the reasons for the conviction.
According to the ruling, the parents did not incorporate content related to “sexual and gender education” or “tolerance and diversity”, nor did they ensure adequate "cultural integration".
Brazilian Justice sentenced two parents to prison for homeschooling their daughters and not teaching them gender theory
In this regard, the ruling also mentions as a "concern" the girls' inclination towards religious and classical music over popular genres like trap or “sertanejo”.
The family's defense attorney, Isabel Monteiro, harshly criticized the judicial decision and stated that the judge made an "ideological decision in convicting them".
As she explained, one of the central points of the ruling was the older daughter's preference for sacred music, in contrast to contemporary musical expressions that, in many cases, include explicit lyrics.
The case dates back to 2020, when the family decided to start homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the parents' testimony, the decision arose after considering that educational institutions did not offer an adequate level of education. Ieda stated that her daughters “thrived with homeschooling”, which motivated the continuation of the system even after the health emergency.
The family
After formalizing their exit from the school system in 2022, interventions by state officials began, who conducted home visits and pressured for the minors to be reintegrated into state education. The situation ultimately led to a legal process that culminated in the conviction in April.
The couple expressed their surprise at the ruling, noting that they never imagined facing a prison sentence for trying to provide a better education for their daughters. Both minors are advanced pianists and speak several languages, as they reported.
One of the most striking aspects of the case is that even the state prosecutors recommended acquittal. After an evaluation conducted by an independent educational psychologist, they concluded that the girls showed no signs of negligence and that they were developing adequately both socially and academically.
In the same vein, the defense presented over 3,000 pages of documentation to support that there was no intellectual abandonment. However, the judge decided to proceed with the conviction, dismissing both the evidence and the prosecution's position.
Currently, the Denardis remain free while appealing the sentence, which will be reviewed by the Seventh Criminal Chamber of the São Paulo State Court of Justice. This is an unprecedented case in the country due to the reason for the sentence and its criminal nature.
"We are waiting for true justice to be done and for the court to grant us the acquittal we believe we deserve, because the State cannot change the law based on ideology", stated Audato, referring to the ongoing process.
