The construction of gender difference in schools: historical aspects (São Paulo, siglos XIX-XX)

Abstract

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14244/198271991039

Discourses and practices of coeducation of the sexes originated educational debates in São Paulo, Brazil, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Coeducational principles were defended on one side by liberal Republicans and representatives of Protestantism, and on the other side there was opposition from Catholic Church and conservative sectors of society. This aspect of schooling of children had its starting point in the United States and Europe. Upon arriving in Brazil, introduced by American missionaries, coeducation provoked some discussion, but apparently it did not have the same impact than in other countries. The mixed schools became common, though, in essence, they do not guarantee gender equality.

Keywords: Coeducation, Female education, Male education, Equality.