- Brazilian local authorities prosecuted Regiane Cichelero for homeschooling her son and threatened to remove him from her custody if she continued.
- Oral arguments for her case will be heard at the highest court in the state of Santa Catarina; ADF International coordinating defense, highlighting international human rights protections for homeschooling.
Santa Catarina, BRAZIL (30 June 2025) — On July 1 the highest court in the state of Santa Catarina will hear oral arguments for the case of Regiane Cichelero, a Christian mother in Brazil who was prosecuted for homeschooling her son. ADF International is supporting her legal defense, which challenges the state’s attempt to penalize parents for exercising their right to direct their children’s education, a right firmly protected under international human rights law.
Cichelero began homeschooling her son in 2020 after public schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. When schools reopened, she continued teaching him at home, believing it to be the best choice for providing quality education in accordance with her family’s religious values.
Following her decision to homeschool, local authorities fined her over $20,000 USD, and a judge threatened to remove her son from her custody if she did not enroll him in a public school.
No parent should fear state punishment for choosing to homeschool their child.egiane made a lawful and conscientious decision to teach her son at home. We are hopeful that the court will affirm her rights and take an important step toward protecting parental rights in Brazil."
“No parent should fear state punishment for choosing to homeschool their child,” said Julio Pohl, ADF International’s Legal Counsel for Latin America, which is supporting Cichelero’s legal defense. “Regiane made a lawful and conscientious decision to teach her son at home. We are hopeful that the court will affirm her rights and take an important step toward protecting parental rights in Brazil.”
Background
Over 70,000 children are currently homeschooled in Brazil. International human rights law protects the rights of parents to make choices concerning the type of education that their children receive.
Article 26.3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children”. In addition, Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights holds that states must respect the right of parents “to choose for their children schools, other than those established by the public authorities, which conform to such minimum educational standards as may be laid down or approved by the State and to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions”.
Leading up to her court date, Cichelero stated, “It is my role as a mother to provide the best education I can for my son. The state’s decision to penalize me has made it difficult to fulfill that duty. But I look forward to this hearing, and I am hopeful for a decision that affirms the right of parents to direct their children’s education. No parent in Brazil should fear the risk of fines or even of losing custody of their child simply for making the best choice for their family.”
