There will be a strike to complain about the lack of cameras, guards and other security measures
Image courtesy of El Observador
A hall of the Liceo Nº1 of La Paz, in the Uruguayan department of Canelones, woke up on Tuesday with a threat of shooting. On the blackboard, sloppily written, was a message that read: “The apocalypse begins 10/28/22. I will do a shootout”, reported El Observador. In addition, other things were written as references and jokes.
In this context, on Thursday there will be a strike to claim for greater security at the center, which suffers recurrently various attacks and threats.
“Things always happened at the high school -some pineapple, some fight- but never (happened) as much impunity as going into the precincts, into the classrooms, insulting teachers, messing with the gurises, hitting with waves” said David Caballero, spokesman for the group of parents who represent the group in this situation.
Caballero added that the police attended on some occasions to remove some of the individuals who cause problems and mentioned that the parents made letters to send to the departmental authorities,of the Central Board of Directors (Codicen) and the Ministry of the Interior. In addition, they requested to suspend classes until a safe place for teaching can be guaranteed.
According to people linked to the institution, “four or five adolescents have been identified ” that cause conflicts on a recurring basis. “The problem is that it is getting worse because they are entering the salons. While the teachers are teaching, they get mixed up with the students and threaten the teachers, they threaten the students and it’s no man’s land. The little ones are afraid and one as a father is also afraid of sending them to study”, a mother told Underlined. These teenagers even hit a teacher and threatened a member with a knife.
Image courtesy of El Observador
There is another problem related to the operation of the institution and that is that the sports area, located four blocks away, has only one teacher and no security. “As it is a public space, they go to the sports arena, kick cones, attack children and teachers, confront them and intimidate them. We believe that the safety conditions are not in place for either the teachers or the children”, a parent denounced to Telenoche.
As explained by parents, the security guard was dismissed last year for a budget issue and now they are demanding to have that service again, considering that “security does not depend on a budget, this is urgent” , they added.
“Given this, we need a response as soon as possible, the children’s safety is everyone’s issue. People outside the school enter, threaten, write, knock on doors and walk around the school as and when they want. We appreciate a prompt response,” one mother tweeted. As the organized parents explained, they are not getting answers from the authorities.
Photo: Google
These situations occur in a wave of violence that the country is experiencing, with large numbers of homicides recorded in recent months. But education is also feeling the consequences of this situation.
The Montevideo Teachers’ Association gave an urgent press conference last week on two cases of violence around schools: one of them ended with a stray bullet passing through the glass of a classroom and the other with a shooting in front of an educational center. There were no injuries.
“These acts of violence, which occur in the neighborhoods, must have a clear response from the government”, mentioned the secretary general of the Uruguayan Federation of Teachers (FUM-TEP), Elbia Pereira, and stressed that cases similar to those that occurred the previous week, “are occurring in different areas of the country.” “It is (the government) that has the responsibility to generate tranquility and security in the population,” she added.