Brazilian Couple Gets 50-Day Sentence in Homeschool Case as Appeal Stays First Criminal Conviction
Updated
Updated · ewtnnews.com · Jun 24
Brazilian Couple Gets 50-Day Sentence in Homeschool Case as Appeal Stays First Criminal Conviction
3 articles · Updated · ewtnnews.com · Jun 24
Summary
Audato and Ieda Denardi were sentenced to 50 days in prison for “intellectual neglect” over homeschooling their two daughters, but the April conviction is suspended while São Paulo’s Seventh Criminal Court Chamber hears their appeal.
The judge cited the curriculum’s lack of gender, sex-education, tolerance and diversity content, and even the girls’ dislike of genres such as trap and sertanejo, despite evidence that they are pianists with advanced training and speak several languages.
Prosecutors had asked for acquittal after finding no neglect, an independent educational psychologist also found none, and the girls described a rigorous daily education, according to ADF International, which is representing the family.
ADF called the ruling a criminal-law abuse and said the case is Brazil’s first criminal conviction tied to homeschooling, a flashpoint for roughly 70,000 homeschooling children amid stalled Senate action on a 2022 lower-house bill.
In Brazil's education battle, who decides a child's worldview: the parents or the state?
When does a parent's curriculum choice cross the line from educational freedom to a criminal act?
The Denardi Homeschooling Conviction: Legal Precedent, National Uncertainty, and the Future of 70,000 Brazilian Children
Overview
In June 2026, a judge in São Paulo sentenced Adauto and Ieda Denardi to prison for homeschooling their daughters, calling it 'intellectual neglect' because there are no clear laws allowing homeschooling in Brazil. This conviction marks a turning point for home education, as the case now moves to São Paulo's appeals court. The court’s decision will decide if this is just a one-time mistake or a new rule for families across the country. The Denardi case highlights the legal uncertainty around homeschooling in Brazil and shows how families face real risks without clear legal protection.