"There's no escaping what they teach us":debates on public memory and education with Portuguese secondary school students

In this article, we analyze secondary school students' discussions about national historical figures, reflecting on issues of gender, memory and education. Focus groups were held with 75 secondary school students in Portugal between 2022 and 2023. Among the results, we identified an androcentric historiography and personalities linked to expansionism, colonialism and slavery. There was also an effort on the part of some young people to include women, although they were remembered for their role as queens - mothers, caregivers and educators -, contemporary women were identified who stood out in athletics, music, literature and political careers. The results also point to a paradox regarding the students: on the one hand, they adhere almost uncritically to the myth of Luso-Tropicalism; while on the other, they reveal profound lack of knowledge of the history of the countries that were once Portuguese colonies.