The Formation of Educators in Light of Law 10.639/2003:
Paths and Missteps.
Keywords: Law 10.639/2003. Teacher training. Ethnic-racial education.
This research aims to analyze the implementation of Law 10.639/2003 in higher education
institutions in the city of Volta Redonda, two decades after its promulgation. The study arises
from the need to understand how formal education contributes to combating racism in its
individual, collective, and structural dimensions. The text discusses the myth of racial
democracy in Brazil, highlighting how the denial of racial inequalities perpetuates structural
racism. The central problem of the research questions whether higher education institutions in
Volta Redonda are effectively incorporating Law 10.639/2003 into their teacher training
programs. To address this question, five research inquiries are proposed, exploring the
motivations behind the law's implementation, the social actors involved, the relationship
between Black social movements and teacher education, the treatment of ethnic-racial issues in
undergraduate courses in the city, and the role of high school teachers within the school
environment. The study employs a qualitative methodology, involving curricular analysis,
interviews with teachers and course administrators, and the administration of questionnaires to
students in a high school. The selection of higher education institutions in Volta Redonda is
based on the diversity of undergraduate programs they offer. The research is grounded in the
work of renowned scholars in the field of ethnic-racial relations. The dissertation is organized
into five chapters. Ultimately, the dissertation seeks to contribute to the understanding of the
role of education in the fight against racism in Brazil, particularly within the context of higher
education institutions in Volta Redonda, fostering reflections on teacher training and the
effective implementation of existing legislation.