RELIGION IN SCHOOLS: PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND CHALLENGES FOR A DECOLONIAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article analyzes how religion, historically employed as an instrument of colonization and the legitimation of white and Christian supremacy, continues to exert influence within Brazilian public schools. From a decolonial perspective, we discuss how religious practices and discourses—particularly those of conservative evangelical groups—create tensions around initiatives aimed at promoting religious diversity. The study, drawn from an ongoing doctoral research project, focuses on the narratives of Physical Education teachers in public schools in Vitória/ES, highlighting how religious racism manifests in everyday school life and reaffirms Christian supremacy under the guise of neutrality. By problematizing these narratives, the article invites reflection on the challenges of decoloniality in education and underscores the urgency of building pedagogical practices committed to valuing ancestral knowledge and historically marginalized epistemologies.