The Decree 10.502/2020 beyond opposition and uncritical acceptance: an invitation to look in the mirror?

Abstract

This article discusses the Decree 10.502 of September 30, 2020, as an (in)opportune trigger for reflections on special and bilingual education. The Decree, which was suspended after a  judgment of the Federal Supreme Court and revoked by President Lula, historically, is a reference of a special education government action, linked to neoliberal education policies in tune with international organizations, which emphasize competencies and further weaken the public school. In this sense, the Decree has generated opposition, but surprisingly, it has been welcomed by some segments, particularly by the deaf community, which felt contemplated in a proposal for bilingual education. We believe that this document provides a serious reflection on special education, an in-depth evaluation of what has been achieved in the last two decades, and points out challenges that still need to be properly addressed when idealizing bilingual education that constitutes a milestone in this desire of the deaf community. This text, of a bibliographic and documentary nature, offers an overview of this context and invites us to look through the mirror while waiting for new determinations about bilingual education in Brazil.