Son of the owners of Escola Base forgives journalist: “We are friends”

The year is 1994. A report of sexual abuse of 4-year-old children at a school in São Paulo changes the lives of the institution’s owners and their families forever, even before the police investigation is closed. Almost 30 years later, Valmir Salaro, the first journalist to report the case in the press, revisits the episode in the documentary Escola Base: Um Repórter Faces the Past, released by Globoplay this month. Among the people Salaro asks for forgiveness is Ricardo Shimada, son of Icushiro and Maria Aparecida Shimada, who at the time of the scandal was only 14 years old. it was done. Ricardo saw his parents condemned by public opinion, had the house where he grew up vandalized and spent years nurturing a feeling of revolt by those who unjustly condemned his family. Today, aged 42, he not only agreed to participate in Globo’s production, but is also preparing to launch a book telling his version of the story. metropolises, Ricardo says he has received a lot of support and messages of affection after the premiere of the feature. He even claims to have forgiven the journalist who brought the case to light without hearing his parents’ side. “All the people who contacted me were to talk about the issue of forgiveness. People telling their private questions about the family, who were going through difficult times, and who with my testimonies were able to see their problems from another angle, ”he said.Salaro and RicardoValmir Salaro and Ricardo ShimadaReproductionValmir and Ricardo in the Escola Base documentaryThey were face to face in the Escola Base documentaryReproductionAdvertising by the partner Metrópoles 1Ricardo Salaro 5Ricardo prepares a book telling his side of the storyReproductionRicardo ShimadaHe collaborated with the documentaryReproductionAdvertising by partner Metrópoles 2Valmir SalaroAnd forgave those involvedReproductionPaula documentary Escola BasePaula Milhim is another victim of fake news that appears in the documentaryReproduction0Ricardo says that even after the parents proved their innocence, the family’s life returned to normal. His mother, Maria Aparecida, went into depression and tried to commit suicide twice. In 2007, she discovered cancer, already in the terminal stage, and died months later. Icushiro had several strokes and died of a heart attack in 2014, before receiving all the compensation he was entitled to.

“The documentary serves to show that we can forgive. God died on the cross for our sins. Is forgiveness difficult? Not for me, who now have an understanding of the scriptures. With understanding in Christ it is easy”, he says, when explaining how he managed to erase the events of the past. Ricardo Shimada

O Filho da InjustiçaIn O Filho da Injustiça, which is scheduled to be released in the first half of 2023, Ricardo intends to clarify not only the outcome of the investigations, but also tell how the episode shook his past and present. The work is done in four hands, with journalist Emílio Coutinho, who also authored the book Escola Base – Where and How Are the Protagonists of the Biggest Crime in the Brazilian Press. “The project was born 4 years ago, but the launch ended up being delayed due to some unforeseen events along the way”, explains the author. “Now, with the topic of fake news in vogue, the launch comes in handy. In fact, I believe that God wanted this book to be ready now”, emphasizes the writer, who dreams of seeing at least one edition of O Filho da Injustiça in every journalism school in the country. he reveals that after much heartache and guilt, the two became friends. “The documentary helped Valmir to have some peace. Today, I only have good feelings for him and I can say that I gained a friend. We exchange messages almost weekly, to talk about life”, he concludes. Want to stay on top of the world of celebrities and receive the news directly on your Telegram? Enter the Metrópoles channel and follow the editors on Instagram.