Brazil Sentences Homeschooling Parents to 50 Days in Prison, Suspending Term Pending Appeal
Updated
Updated · ADF International · Jun 18
Brazil Sentences Homeschooling Parents to 50 Days in Prison, Suspending Term Pending Appeal
3 articles · Updated · ADF International · Jun 18
Summary
Audato and Ieda Denardi were sentenced in São Paulo to 50 days in prison for “intellectual neglect” after homeschooling their 15- and 11-year-old daughters, in Brazil’s first criminal prosecution of home educators.
The judge said their curriculum lacked state-backed content on gender, sex education, tolerance and diversity, and even cited the girls’ dislike of trap and sertanejo music as evidence of inadequate cultural education.
The prison term is suspended while the couple appeals to São Paulo state’s highest court, with ADF International backing the case after a prosecutor had recommended acquittal and found no neglect.
The case has drawn congressional attention because Brazil’s House approved a homeschooling bill in 2022 but the measure stalled in the Senate, leaving an estimated 70,000 homeschooled children in legal limbo.
Could a child's taste in music land their homeschooling parents in a Brazilian prison?
Why were parents jailed for homeschooling after a prosecutor argued the children were thriving?
2026 São Paulo Homeschooling Conviction: The Denardi Family, Parental Rights, and Brazil’s Legal Precedent
Overview
In April 2026, a São Paulo court convicted Audato and Ieda Denardi for homeschooling their daughters, sentencing one parent to a suspended prison term for 'intellectual neglect.' The case centers on the Denardis' choice to educate their children at home according to their faith and values, with the court citing omissions in topics like gender and diversity. This unprecedented conviction has sparked a national debate in Brazil, highlighting the legal uncertainty for homeschooling families and intensifying the conflict between parental rights and state authority. The ongoing appeal and stalled legislation mean the case could set a major precedent for educational freedom in Brazil.