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| Federal Police Evict Protesting Guerrero Teachers from Blocking Cuernavaca-Acapulco Highway (Photo: Francisco Olvera) |
La Jornada: Laura Poy Solano
The National Coordinating Committee of Education Workers (CNTE) declared a "High Alert" after the eviction of Section 14 teachers from Guerrero, who for a second day had blocked the Highway of the Sun [Cuernavaca-Acapulco] in the absence of agreements with Governor Ángel Aguirre for an alternative plan to the state education law [see, Guerrero Congress Rejects Governor's Education Reform, Teachers Continue Protests].
Teachers' leaders said that today they will convene an emergency meeting of the CNTE's extended national political leadership to define a position. Meanwhile, in states such as Oaxaca, direct actions were taken by blocking highways, and in Michoacán a state emergency assembly was called to determine whether they would initiate an indefinite work stoppage.
In a separate interview, Francisco Bravo, leader of the Section 9 dissident teachers in the Federal District [Mexico City], and Juan José Ortega Madrigal, secretary general of Section 18 in Michoacán, blamed federal and state governments for "acts of repression", and they censored
"the refusal of Governor Aguirre to establish a serious dialogue with colleagues of the State Coordinating Committee of Education Workers of Guerrero".
Ortega Madrigal affirmed that given the events that occurred shortly after 6:30 PM on the Mexico-Acapulco federal highway, where with physical shoving and tear gas the police evicted thousands of teachers demanding a response to their demands,
"we made an immediate call to our union members to make an assessment", and "we remain firm in our warning that if they touched a fellow colleague in Guerrero, they touched us all."
The "repression" of the teachers
"will lead us to reconsider the strategies that were being implemented, in which dialogue was put first".
He warned that the CNTE will be "waiting for the cessation of all acts against the Guerrero teachers".
New Protests
As to the outcome of last Thursday in Mexico City, Francisco Bravo reported that, after completing their National Representative Assembly, it was agreed to hold a new demonstration in Mexico City next Wednesday [April 10]. The objective is to hold a second national day of protest against education reform.
At the meeting, attended by leaders of Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Mexico City, and including leaders from other states, an analysis was also begun on whether a work stoppage will be indefinite.
Rubén Núñez, general secretary of Oaxaca's Section 22, pointed out that in states where the CNTE is present--with the exception of Guerrero--the return to teaching activities is scheduled for Monday, April 8, "as it is defined if we choose to promote a nationwide stoppage".
As for statements made last Wednesday by the Secretary of Public Education, Emilio Chuayffet, that he would "terminate the employment relationship" with teachers who do not meet their classes, members of the national leadership of the CNTE warned that
"it is not with threats that he is going to stop rejection of the education reform".With that kind of speech, they said, he will not succeed in opening a serious debate about the educational model that is desired to be constructed. They stressed that
"his warnings will not be what defines the agenda of the struggle of the coordinating committee or the decisions made by the dissident teachers."Spanish original