Ações afirmativas para além do acesso: a lei 12.990 e o desenvolvimento de carreira de docentes cotistas negras(os) no IFMA (2015/2024)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of affirmative action legislation contained in Law No. 12,990/2014, which establishes a 20% quota for Black candidates in federal public service examinations in Brazil. The research focuses on the Federal Institute of Maranhão (IFMA), specifically examining the experiences of Black faculty members who entered through this policy. It seeks to understand how the legislation has contributed to racial equity in federal public service, particularly regarding entry and career development in Basic, Technical, and Technological Education (EBTT) teaching.To this end, the study engages with theoretical frameworks on racial relations in Brazil, affirmative action, and institutional racism, as well as literature on the trajectories and retention of Black professionals in public institutions. The adopted methodology involved document analysis, institutional data collection, administration of questionnaires and curricular and academic analysis faculty members who joined IFMA through the quota policy. The qualitative approach allowed for capturing participants' perceptions of the effects of Law No. 12,990/2014, regarding both access and retention, and functional progression in their teaching careers. Among the aspects investigated are: the role of the Black movement in formulating and advocating for ethnic-racial public policies; the implementation of the legislation within IFMA; the obstacles faced by Black faculty members, especially those related to institutional racism and the invisibility of racial issues in institutional practices; and the strategies of resistance and identity affirmation developed by these individuals in their daily institutional lives. The results reveal that, although Law No. 12,990/2014 represents a significant advance in promoting racial equality, its full effectiveness is limited by deeply rooted institutional and cultural barriers. The analysis of public notices allowed us to understand the persistence of the fractionation of vacancies and the failure to respect the minimum established by law; the analysis of lawsuits against IFMA highlighted uncertainties about who are the subjects of such a policy by the hetero-identification committees, with the brown population being overlooked; the collection of professional and academic data on Black quota holders at the Institution allowed us to understand institutional racism, particularly in that this population is allocated a greater number of weekly class hours, they are not occupying management positions or paid functions, as well as they are not being represented as major research producers and supported by funding institutions.While the affirmative action policy has enabled the entry of Black individuals into public service, it does not, by itself, guarantee equitable conditions for retention and career advancement. Experiences of inequality, silencing, and discrimination are common. The research thus highlights the need for complementary actions to ensure the effectiveness of quotas beyond initial entry, promoting structural changes in the institutional environment. These changes should focus on valuing diversity, anti-racist training, and democratizing opportunities. The study concludes that confronting institutional racism requires strengthening affirmative policies, broadening the racial debate in educational institutions, and demonstrating an ethical and political commitment to racial equity to ensure full citizenship for the Black population.