Controversy Over Chile
Education Law Goes On
Chile's municipal
elections in October are
being largely covered by
the mainstream media,
but the controversy over
the General Education
Law (LGE) remains as
recurrent news as well.
Three months before the
elections of mayors and
delegates in 345
districts, politicians
are going from one
meeting to another, but
the eminent senatorial
approval of the LGE has
once again strained
relations among the
government, teachers,
and students.
One of the latest sign
of tension was reported
a few days ago, when a
junior high student
threw a pitcher of water
over Education Minister
Monica Jimenez during a
talk on education.
For former judge Juan
Guzman, who has assumed
the defense of teachers
and students victims of
the police repression
“the pitcher of water is
much less important than
the terrible state
violence being
reported.” A new element
has added to the
controversy this week,
when the Education
Ministry said the
professors who refuse to
undergo a teaching
evaluation will have to
abide by the
consequences.
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