Milton Ribeiro

Milton Ribeiro (born 14 March 1958) is a Brazilian protestant pastor, lawyer, theologian, professor and current Minister of Education of Brazil.[1]

Milton Ribeiro
Minister of Education
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 July 2020
President	Jair Bolsonaro
Preceded by	Abraham Weintraub
Personal details
Born	14 March 1958 Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
Alma mater	Southern Presbyterian Seminary (BTh) Toledo Institution of Education (LL.B.) Mackenzie Presbyterian University (LL.M.) University of São Paulo (Ed.D.)
Profession	Professor, pastor, lawyer

Biography

Called in January 1982 by the Santos Presbytery, he is currently a pastor at the Prayer Garden Presbyterian Church, in Santos.

Ribeiro is graduated in Theology at the Southern Presbyterian Seminary (1978-1981) and in Laws at the Toledo Institution of Education, current Bauru University Center (1986-1990). He is specialist in Real Estate Law at the University Center of the United Metropolitan Colleges (2000), in Theology of the Old Testament at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University (1997-2001) and specialization at the Theological Center Andrew Jumper, linked to Mackenzie University.[2][3]

He is also Master of Laws by Mackenzie University (1999-2001) and Doctor in Education by University of São Paulo (2002-2006).[3]

Ribeiro was Superintendent of the Lato Sensu Post-Graduation Programs at Mackenzie University. Acted also as Secretary of the Administration Council of MackPesquisa and as Coordinator General of Mackenzie Solidário, besides other administrative activities at Mackenzie Presbyterian Institute. Also acted as professor, acting Dean and Vice Dean at Mackenzie University; as member of the Educational Affairs Committee at Mackenzie Institute; and as Administrative Director of Light for the Path, institution linked to the Brazilian Presbyterian Church.[3]

Ministry of Education

Context

Ribeiro's predecessor, Abraham Weintraub, was part of multiple controversies while he held the position of minister, and even had a controversial resignation – which took place on 20 June 2020.[4] On 25 June 2020, Carlos Decotelli was nominated as Weintraub's successor, but disagreements regarding his curriculum resulted in his resignation 5 days after his nomination, before he officially took office.[5]

Nomination

Ribeiro is the fourth Minister of Education of Jair Bolsonaro's administration.[6] He was nominated on 10 July 2020,[7] and officially took office on 16 July 2020.[6]

Controversies

On universities incentivizing 'unrestrained sex'

In 2018, Ribeiro stated that existentialism was being taught in universities, and that it was incentivizing students to have sexual intercourse disregarding who the partner is:[8]

Para contribuir ainda mais em termos negativos para uma prática totalmente sem limites do sexo veio a questão filosófica do existencialismo, em que o momento é que importa. Não importa se é A, B, se é homem ou se é mulher, se é esse, se é aquele, se é velho, se é novo. Não interessa. O que interessa é aquele momento. [...] É isso que eles estão ensinando para os nossos filhos na universidade.

To contribute even more negatively to a totally unrestrained practice of sex, the philosophical question of existentialism comes up, in which the moment is what matters. It doesn't matter if it's A, B, if it's a man or if it's a woman, if it's this, if it's that, if it's old, if it's young. It doesn't matter. What's important is the moment. [...] That's what they're teaching our kids on universities.

On birth control as a cause for sexual misconduct

Ribeiro also blamed birth control methods, such as the morning-after pill, for sexual misconduct:[8][9]

O mundo foi perdendo a referência do que é certo e do que é errado em termos de conduta sexual. E isso foi trazendo muitas dificuldades porque agora a gravidez indesejada não é mais um risco	The world has been losing reference of what's right and what's wrong in terms of sexual conduct. And that has been bringing a lot of trouble because now unwanted pregnancy isn't a risk anymore

On physical punishment of children

During a sermon titled "The Stick of Discipline" (Portuguese: A Vara da Disciplina), delivered by Ribeiro on a presbyterian temple in April 2016, Ribeiro argues in favor of physical punishment during a child's education. He states that "a good result will not be obtained with fair means and soft methods", that "there must be severity" and, finally, that kids "must feel pain".[10][11] He follows that by saying "I'm not here teaching a class on child beating, but the stick of discipline cannot leave our homes".[12]

On 11 July 2020 – the day after Ribeiro's nomination to the Ministry of Education –, due to public outcry regarding his position, Ribeiro deleted the video recording of that sermon from his YouTube channel.[12]

On 16 July 2020, during Ribeiro's speech while taking office, he stated: "I have never spoken of physical violence during school education and I will never defend such practices, which are part of a past we don't want to go back to".[13]

On the man's role in the family

In another one of Ribeiro's sermons, he states that the man must impose himself in a relationship and lead the way for the family. Ribeiro defends that "when the father isn't home, the enemy attacks", and that "the man is the head of the house".[11]

References

1. "Bolsonaro anuncia professor e pastor Milton Ribeiro como novo ministro da Educação" (in Portuguese). G1. 10 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
2. "Sobre nós" (in Portuguese). Centro Presbiteriano de Pós-Graduação Andrew Jumper. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
3. "Currículo do Sisema de Currículos Lattes (Milton Ribeiro)" (in Portuguese). Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnólogico. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
4. Saldaña, Paulo; Brant, Danielle (2020-06-20). "Bolsonaro publica demissão de Weintraub após ex-ministro viajar para os EUA" [Bolsonaro publishes Weintraub dismissal after former minister travels to the USA]. Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-06-20.
5. Soares, Ingrid (30 June 2020). "Carlos Decotelli se reúne com Bolsonaro no Planalto para pedir demissão" [Carlos Decotelli meets Bolsonaro on Planalto to resign]. Correio Braziliense (in Portuguese). Retrieved 30 June 2020.
6. Gomes, Pedro Henrique; Garcia, Gustavo (16 July 2020). "Milton Ribeiro toma posse como quarto ministro da Educação no governo Bolsonaro" [Milton Ribeiro takes office as fourth minister of Education on Bolsonaro's government]. G1 (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
7. "Quem é Milton Ribeiro, novo ministro da Educação escolhido por Bolsonaro" [Who is Milton Ribeiro, the new minister of Education chosen by Bolsonaro]. BBC Brasil (in Portuguese). 10 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
8. "Novas universidades ensinam 'sexo sem limites', disse ministro da Educação em 2018" [New universities teach 'unsrestrained sex', the minister of Education said in 2018]. O Estado de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 12 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
9. Otto, Isabella (13 July 2020). "Polêmicas já protagonizadas pelo novo ministro da Educação, Milton Ribeiro" [Controversies already starred by new minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro]. Capircho (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
10. Alves, Chico (10 July 2020). "Novo ministro da Educação defende castigo físico para crianças" [New minister of Education defends physical punishment for children]. UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
11. Martins, Humberto (10 July 2020). "Ministro da Educação defende que pais devem causar dor a filhos e que o 'homem aponta o caminho' da família'" [Minister of Education defends that parents must cause pain to their children and that the 'man leads the way' of family]. Estado de Minas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
12. Alves, Chico (11 July 2020). "Ministro da Educação apaga vídeo com defesa de castigos físicos a crianças" [Minister of Education deletes video in which he defends physical punishment of children]. UOL (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
13. Nunes, Maíra (16 July 2020). "Novo ministro da Educação: "Jamais falei em violência física na educação escolar"" [New minister of Education: "I have never spoken of physical violence during school education"]. Estado de Minas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 July 2020.