Teacher’s War in Mexico

For the last decade at least, we have seen the absolute attack on teachers, on their integrity, their devotion to their profession, and their supposed betrayal of their (our) children.

The attack comes from politicians, corporate media, and the greedy economic forces seeking to privatize the realm of public education.

This is not just a national problem. It is global. And it is the very signature of neoliberalism.

In Mexico, tens of thousands of teachers are fighting back.

Those fights have taken the form of mass protests, marches, the seizure of government buildings, and organizing.

Under the militant lead of CNTE (inEnglish), the Education Workers Coordinating Committee, these workers have resisted the neoliberal agenda, demanding that the federal government cease interference in Mexico’s indigenous educational efforts.

In Mexico, government corruption is endemic, and as in the U. S., politicians are in the full employ of privatization forces which want to shatter and destroy the very notion of public schools.

To that end, the corporate media has played a central role, using what Mexican teachers have called a “satanization campaign.” Sound familiar?

Teachers’ union activists in Oaxaca and elsewhere are in a fighting mood.

Marcus Arellanes, of Oaxaca’s Section 22 of the union, gave voice to grass roots teachers throughout Mexico.

In a recent interview, Arellanes said, “The government plans to standardize everything through policies of alignment, control and subjugation. They have approved initiatives and the use of the State power structure to pass laws by using government repression. And that’s why we’re here today. To oppose the repression suffered by the comrades who marched in support of the CNTE. But we’re going to confront this disgraceful government that seeks to impose conditions designed by international bodies to privatize, control, take away their responsibility for education, and turn it over to the private sector, you see? “

Arellanes explains that through changes of Mexico’s Constitution, Article 73, the government has essentially jettisoned the State’s responsibility for education and opened the door to corporate financial support. Imagine! Education provided by Coca-Cola”

The struggle has attracted support from the thousands of teachers, students, parents, and civil associations ––all opposed to this privatization scheme.

The battle, still ongoing, has just begun.

From inprison nation this is Mumia-Abu-Jamal.