In 1969 a decree was issued instituting the teaching in the schools of material on “Moral and Civic Education.” Soon thereafter isolated cases of expulsion from schools began when young brothers refused to sing the national anthem or to participate in flag-salute ceremonies as required in these classes. In Rio Claro, in the state of São Paulo, the case of twelve students was turned over to the police, who, after obtaining declarations from the parents and school director, sent the case higher up for consideration by DEOPS (a department of the Secretary of Public Security). Brothers Oswaldo Monezi and Augusto Machado, the then president and secretary respectively of the local Society, were called in to give information on the position of the Society on the matter. A written declaration was made showing the Scriptural basis for the position of Jehovah’s witnesses and showing also that it was a matter of each individual acting according to his Christian conscience. After due consideration, DEOPS issued a certificate of good conduct as far as the Society was concerned.

Meanwhile, thirty other children were being expelled from school in the city of São Paulo. In one instance, in Santo André, the father appealed to the Secretary of Education of the state of São Paulo, setting forth in detail the conscientious stand of his child. The matter was turned over to the State Commission of Morals and Civism, composed of ten members, among whom were three members of each of the armed forces, lawyers, teachers and a nun. A favorable opinion was written by this commission, but the Secretary of Education chose to ignore it and sent the case to the National Commission of Morals and Civism. Efforts were made in both instances by the brothers to contact individually each member of the Commission so as to present our Scriptural stand and to answer any questions raised by the members of the Commissions. Since the Opinion of this Federal Commission would be presented to the Minister of Education, interviews were arranged with his legal advisers by directors of the Society, and one of the directors was also able to consider the matter personally with the Minister of Education.

The Opinion of the Commission as published in the Diário Oficial, the government organ, although not exempting the children of Jehovah’s witnesses from the civic ceremonies, did recognize the constitutional right of religious freedom and of freedom of conscience. The Opinion quoted directly from the Constitution, saying: “There is full freedom of conscience, and the believers have assured to them the exercise of religious worship which is not contrary to public order or good customs. Nobody shall be deprived of any of his rights because of religious belief or of philosophical or political persuasion, except if these are used to exempt oneself from the legal obligations which are incumbent upon all, in which case the law may stipulate the loss of rights inconsistent with the conscientious objection.”

In conclusion the writer of the Opinion recommended, “The suspension and expelling, if they are contained in the Regulations as disciplinary penalties, should only be applied in serious cases of repetition and disrespect, as an exceptional and extreme measure.”

It was a calm, well-considered Opinion and, although it was not as much as the children’s parents had hoped for, it did indicate that the government was not desirous of harming the children or their future education. The Opinion has had a very sobering effect on most school authorities so that since its publication on October 6, 1971, very few cases of expulsion have been reported.