Reactionary agendas and obscurantism are becoming increasingly evident in Londrina. Two weeks after the City Council tried to prohibit a trans athlete from participating in a competition in the city — a decision later overturned by the courts — it is now the City Hall’s turn to order the withdrawal, from school libraries, of the children’s book “O Bebê Vem com a Cegonha?!?”, by author Patrícia Engel Secco, published by Melhoramentos.
The information was reported by journalist Douglas Kuspiosz of the Folha de Londrina.
According to the synopsis, the story follows a boy named Pedro who begins to question where babies come from after learning he will have a sibling. His aunt says the baby would appear in the vegetable garden, inside a cabbage; his grandmother claims that a stork would bring the little brother hanging from its beak; his uncle, meanwhile, insists the baby would be bought at the supermarket.
Faced with the conflicting versions, the boy’s mother decides to explain exactly how human reproduction and the birth of babies happen.
Although the book has been part of the municipal school network’s collection for many years, only now has a school pointed out that the material would be “sensitive” and “could prompt questioning among the family,” says a case file available in the City Hall’s Electronic Information System (SEI).
“In view of the questions regarding the content of the material, the Department (of Education) is conducting a survey in all educational units to check whether there are more copies of the book available and adds that it will request their withdrawal for a detailed analysis of the contents presented,” says a note sent to Plural by the City Hall’s press office.
The agency did not disclose which school the withdrawal request came from, claiming it was to “preserve the school community and the professionals of the unit.”
The note sent by the press office also states that “the Municipal Department of Education (SME) reinforces its commitment to quality education and the well-being of children and continues working to ensure that all didactic materials made available in municipal schools are appropriate for each age group.”
Contacted, Editora Melhoramentos reported that the book was published in 2003 and is no longer part of its current catalog. In a note, the company states that the withdrawal of titles takes place within an ongoing process of editorial review. According to the publisher, this process involves technical evaluation, pedagogical grounding, analysis by specialists, and attention to the needs of schools and families.
The company said it had not been previously informed about the review conducted by Londrina’s Department of Education, but stated that it is available to dialogue with the authorities and provide technical clarifications. The publisher stated that processes for evaluating pedagogical materials should take place with transparency, responsibility, and alignment with educational objectives.
Because the book is no longer in Melhoramentos’ catalog, the publisher claimed it no longer has the author’s contact information. The report has not yet been able to locate her.
