Brazilian parents Audato and Ieda Denardi have been sentenced to 50 days in prison by a São Paulo judge for homeschooling their two daughters.

The ruling, now under appeal, has drawn attention from parental rights and homeschooling advocates. ADF International, which is supporting the family’s appeal, has described the case as the first criminal conviction of parents for homeschooling in Brazil.

The Denardis began homeschooling their daughters, Alice, now 15, and Lorena, now 11, in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Frustrated by the shortcomings of public schools’ remote-learning programmes, they created a structured home curriculum that emphasised rigorous academics, moral formation and family values.

The girls reportedly read around 30 books a year, studied Latin, English, piano and music theory, and demonstrated strong academic and social progress according to an independent educational psychologist’s evaluation. Both are accomplished pianists and speak multiple languages.

“As a mother, I cannot conceive of a more dictatorial state than the one that wants me in jail because I chose to exercise my right to direct the education and upbringing of my daughters,” said Ieda.

“My husband and I are hopeful the court will recognise our right to choose the best education for our children and overturn this unjust conviction,” she added.

Despite evidence submitted by the family, including more than 3,000 pages of documentation, the judge convicted the parents of “intellectual neglect”. According to ADF International, the decision cited the homeschool curriculum’s omission of state-approved content on “gender and sex education” and “tolerance and diversity”. The judge also pointed to the 15-year-old’s moral objections to certain popular music lyrics, including “trap” and “sertanejo” folk genres, as evidence of insufficient cultural exposure.

In the written ruling, the judge accused the parents of “using their daughters as pawns in an ideological struggle” by choosing unregulated home education that excluded the state’s involvement and exposure to differing world-views. The prosecutor in the case reviewed the evidence and recommended acquittal, concluding that there was no sign of neglect.

ADF International condemned the sentence as “a grotesque abuse of criminal law”. Legal counsel Julio Pohl said: “The prosecutor examined the witnesses and recommended acquittal. An independent educational psychologist found no sign of neglect. The girls themselves described rigorous daily education.”

Homeschooling has no comprehensive national legal framework in Brazil and is often treated as an administrative violation rather than a criminal offence. An estimated 75,000 families currently homeschool, many citing concerns over public school quality, ideological content and safety.

The sentence remains suspended while the family appeals to the Câmara Criminal do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de São Paulo, the state’s highest criminal court. The conditional suspension includes ongoing obligations such as monthly reporting, community service and potential mandatory school enrolment, which could impose significant burdens even if jail time is avoided.

The case has drawn international attention, with Christian, conservative and parental rights advocates highlighting it as an example of state overreach. Critics argue that compelling families to include gender ideology and specific cultural content in home education undermines fundamental parental rights recognised in international human rights instruments. Supporters of the ruling view it as necessary to ensure that children receive “inclusive” education aligned with public standards.

As the appeal proceeds, the Denardi case is fuelling broader debates in Brazil about educational freedom, the role of the state and parents in child-rearing, and the growing tension between traditional family values and progressive ideological mandates in Latin American education policy. Many advocates see it as a precedent-setting battle with implications beyond one family in São Paulo.

‍