Debate about Public Education in the Discussions about the Law of National Education’s Bases and Guidelines (1961)

Abstract

This article presents the debate about the roles of State and Education done by the intellectuals who discussed the organization of public education in the years before the amendment of the Law of National Education‟s Bases and Guidelines in 1961. “Education in Brazil” and “ „Democratization‟ of Public Education” were heavily discussed themes in the period between 1959 and 1961, as the Law cited above, initially proposed in 1948, was awaiting approval in the Congress by the at that time Minister of Education, Clemente Mariani. With the proposal of a substitute project, in January of 1959, by the congressman Carlos Lacerda, the debates about the obligation of State offering education to its population, and specially, the liberty in education. It was believed that the Brazilians should count with a network of elementary, secondary and college education that integrated the subjects necessary to the formation of the individual for social environment, work and citizenship, therefore the State should be responsible by the investments in the area of public education.