Dissident Teachers Won't Return to Classes on Monday, Will Strike Indefinitely Animal Politico
go to original August 18, 2016

A protester holds a sign reading "Teacher, I am with you!" as people demonstrate in support of the CNTE teachers' union in Mexico City. (AFP)

Teachers of the National Coordinating Committee of Education Workers (CNTE) agreed not to return to school on Monday, August 22, when the 2016-2017 school year begins. The teachers met on Wednesday in Mexico City and agreed on actions by their movement against the education reform, among them is not to return to the classroom. The strike will continue indefinitely, as the teachers say that the Secretariat of Government Relations (SEGOB) has ignored their demands.

The states in which there will be a work stoppage are Guerrero, Michoacan, Oaxaca and Chiapas [all in the south, primarily rural, poor and heavily indigenous], in others states there will be a partial stoppages, said Francisco Bravo, leader of Section 9 of Mexico City.

On Tuesday, August 16, CNTE leaders and SEGOB officials met again to try to end the conflict and the demonstrations that began last May 15 against the education reform. But the meeting was "not productive, we could not move forward," Francisco Bravo said on Wednesday.

This past July, SEGOB and the teachers agreed to install three working groups: political [to deal with arrests of leaders and police response to protests]; educational and social, but the parties have not reached an agreement and the demonstrations have continued.

See the original at Mexico Voices | Spanish original

Related: The Long Struggle of Mexican Teachers (Jacobin)

Related: Mexico Public Education Conflict: Playing by the Rules of Elba Esther Gordillo, Former Teacher Union Head (Mexico Voices)

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