A sexualidade como componente curricular na educação básica de acordo com o PCN e a BNCC: avanços e retrocessos nas políticas públicas

Abstract

Over the past decades, the inclusion of sex education in the Brazilian school curriculum has encountered numerous obstacles and challenges. Although the 1996 Brazilian Law of Guidelines and Bases for National Education (LDB) recognized the importance of this subject, its implementation was delegated to local institutions, resulting in significant regional variations across the country. The creation of the School Health and Prevention Program (SPE) in 2004 marked a significant step forward in this field. However, over time, the program faced setbacks due to pressure from conservative sectors of society. Both the National Curriculum Parameters (PCNs) and the National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC), which guide basic education in Brazil, emphasize the importance of diversity and human rights, though they do not explicitly address sex education. Nonetheless, recent revisions to the BNCC have limited discussions on gender and sexual orientation, sparking debates and controversies within educational policy circles. This study examines relevant theories for understanding sex education, such as Freud’s psychosexual development theory and Bandura’s social learning theory. Additionally, based on documentary and bibliographic research, it explores the potential benefits of including this subject in schools, including reducing rates of sexual violence and teenage pregnancy. The research concludes that public policies regarding sex education in Brazil have fluctuated between progress and setbacks, reflecting the social and political tensions within the national context. The continuous need to promote comprehensive and inclusive education is highlighted—one that respects diversity and ensures the right to information on sexuality in schools, thus contributing to the development of a fairer and more equitable society.