The present research analyzes the debate prior to the approval of the Constitution of the State of Paraná, Brazil, in 1892, with special emphasis on the education issue and the subsequent set of laws that thereby foregrounded the educational policies. The political stance on education is very clear in the annals of the Constitutional Committee, which was comprised by 31 members hailing from and elected by the Republican Party and Republican Union Party and who met during three months for discussion. Public education was carefully dealt with by the constituents even though the final text only comprised one article, dedicated to its gratuity. General and free education in the primary school was discussed and the duty of parents to send their children to school was insisted upon. Although the committee members did not question the importance of primary education in the citizenship constitution, they raised the point on the state's budget in complying with commitments and expenses. Special taxes were suggested to meet the financial straits. Themes such as a free of charge, totally inclusive, laical education, the number of school premises, freedom of teaching, teaching the national language, were heartily debated. This paper brings forth the constitutional discussions in their complexity, mediated by the relationship with civil society in its local specificity, foregrounded on the national movement for the defense of the public primary school.
education; History of Education; public education; education in the Constitution Committee of the State of Paraná