Court sees censorship in recall of book mentioning Marielle Franco and orders return to schools in São José dos Campos Reproduction/TV Vanguarda The Court ordered the City of São José dos Campos to return to municipal schools the book "Meninas Sonhadoras, Mulheres Cientistas", which was collected from the education network in June 2024. In the ruling, published on the 20th, judge Renata Heloisa da Silva Salles concluded that the removal of the work constituted censorship. The decision partially upheld a public civil action filed by the Public Ministry of SP and the Public Defender's Office of the State of São Paulo. One of those honored in the book “Girls Dreamers, Women Scientists” is the anthropologist Débora Diniz. Marielle Franco, a Rio de Janeiro councilor who was murdered in 2018, is also honored. MP asks the court to return book to schools in São José ? Click here to follow the g1 Vale do Paraíba and region channel on WhatsApp In the decision, the municipality was ordered to make the book re-available in libraries and reading rooms at Elementary School II schools, guaranteeing pedagogical use and the loan of the work. The judge determined that the city hall must also refrain from promoting new recalls or restrictions on the book based on political-ideological reasons. The deadline for complying with the decision is five days after the summons, under penalty of a daily fine of R$500, limited to R$50 thousand. In the ruling, the judge stated that the justification presented by the city hall, that the content would be inappropriate for the curriculum, was constructed later to try to justify a decision taken under political pressure. According to the judge, access to the book was restricted not by objective pedagogical criteria, but by discomfort with certain ideas and historical characters portrayed in the work. The decision also highlights that expressions such as "reproductive rights", present in the book, are compatible with the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) and that students' contact with different worldviews is essential for the development of critical thinking and citizenship. The request from the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Public Defender's Office for the municipality to be ordered to pay R$150,000 for collective moral damages was denied. For the judge, the determination to return the book and prevent further collections is enough to reestablish legal order. What those involved say São José dos Campos City Hall was contacted by g1 and there was no response until the last update of this report. Councilor Thomaz Henrique (PL) informed in a note that "the city hall was the one who authorized the purchase and allowed the distribution of the book in municipal public schools" and that "the withdrawal occurred under pressure and after the complaint, as we identified ideological indoctrination and support for abortion in the publication". "If the current administration hadn't made the mistake of distributing this book, we wouldn't even have this discussion. Still, I hope the municipal administration appeals the decision," he said. Court sees censorship in recall of book citing Marielle Franco and orders return to schools in São José dos Campos Reproduction/TV Vanguarda Remember the case The book "Meninas Sonhadoras, Mulheres Cientistas" was withdrawn from municipal schools in June 2024 after criticism from councilor Thomaz Henrique (PL). At the time, the parliamentarian stated that the work "advocated abortion" and promoted "ideological indoctrination". Written by Flávia Martins de Carvalho, judge at the São Paulo Court of Justice and assistant judge at the Federal Supreme Court (STF), the book brings together poems about the trajectory of 20 women, mostly black and Brazilian, who worked in different areas of knowledge. Among those honored are anthropologist Débora Diniz and former Rio de Janeiro councilor Marielle Franco, murdered in 2018. At the time, São José dos Campos City Hall reported that the book had been removed to undergo a technical reevaluation by the Department of Education and Citizenship. In September 2024, when judging the merits of the action, the Court confirmed the understanding that the collection was irregular and maintained the obligation to return the book to the municipal network. See more news from Vale do Paraíba and the Bragantina region