CATALONIA -- Demonstration called today against attacks on school model - VilaWeb

Demonstration called today against attacks on school model - VilaWeb:

 Somescola has convoked a demonstration to protest the requirement that 25% of classes be given in Spanish -- It will be today at 6:30pm in front of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia

 

 

Somescola.cat is
calling upon the Catalan society to demonstrate today at 6:30pm in the
evening in front of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC),
in order to show their opposition to the court ruling that requires
five schools to give 25% of their classes in Spanish. Muriel Casals,
president of Òmnium Cultural and one of the group's spokespeople, said
that the demonstration looks to defend the linguistic immersion model
that has been in place these past thirty-five years, and which
'guarantees equal opportunity and social cohesion'. The TSJC is housed
in the Palau de la Justícia, on Passeig Lluís Companys in central
Barcelona.

Current Catalan legislation defines a linguistic
immersion model in which Catalan is the main language of instruction,
except in Spanish and other language classes, like English. The model
has been lauded by the UNESCO and others, and Catalan students often
test higher in Spanish than children in other parts of Spain, in
addition to learning Catalan. The system also ensures that students are
not divided by language.

The TSJC decision was rejected outright
by the Catalan Government, which has already presented an appeal.
According to the brief, the TSJC rulings contradict the Spanish
Constitution, the Catalan Statute of Autonomy and the Catalan Education
Law (LEC). The Government warned that in addition, the ruling will make
it necessary to divide school children by language and questioned
whether the court had the proper jurisdiction for setting the percentage
of Spanish language use in school.

One of the affected schools also publicly declared
its opposition to the TSJC's imposition. In a letter, the Escola Pia of
Catalonia noted that its centers are 'rooted in and dedicated to
serving the country' and declared, 'We will do everything we can to be
loyal to our commitment to making Catalan the language of instruction in
our schools'.

Demonstration in favor of the immersion model
Somescola.cat, a
group of civic and educational groups, made a call for defending the
current system of linguistic immersion, which allows students to finish
their studies knowing both Catalan and Spanish. 'It's false that Catalan
children don't know Spanish. The data proves it, and there's no reason
to create an artificial conflict,' said Muriel Casals in a press
conference to announce the demonstration.

On the other hand, Somescola spokesperson Josep Maria Cervelló made
it clear that it was an anomaly that legal rulings had to decide how
Catalan schools should educate children. And on the arbitrary nature of
the 25% figure, he asked, 'Why not 10% or 50%?'. Cervelló suspects that
this ruling is a way 'of smoothing the path for Minister Wert's LOMCE,
to make Catalan a less important language, after Spanish and English.'

Somescola also asked the Generalitat to continue to safeguard the
linguistic immersion model, in accordance with current legislation, by
rejecting the ruling that seeks to introduce Spanish as a language of
instruction in Catalan schools.