“At Sampedro, 50% of the people participated in the strike and in the rest of Spain it reached up to 95% and it didn’t decrease to less than 85%, I think,” assured Dani.
The members of the students union said that people who don’t participate in these movements haven’t realized yet how the situation is getting worse.
“All those young people who did not understand the need of an organized struggle, and who will live in a more unequal and unfair world, will join our cause, THE cause, in an objective way, defending the youth and working class interests,” said the two students. “And well, people should organize and unify to be stronger and better because we are the future.”
These measures, as Dani says, are making some remarkable changes, as strengthening communication between associations and the police counter movements.
“The participation of the youth, workers like our teachers, and the CEAPA historical participation is very remarkable,” said Dani. "The parents’ strike that was convened by them, was the first parents’ strike in Spanish history. On the other hand, there has been a very remarkable change given in the repressive apparatus of the State: the number of troops has increased and the quality of the media against movements for the next mobilizations are going to be much more forceful.”
Some students out of these unions have another opinion on the new educational measures.
“Personally, I think they could have been done in a more efficient way. Yes, we all know there is no money, but many of the measures applied are not only unnecessary but also really unproductive,“ said a source that wished to remain anonymous. “Unfortunately, no one will listen to students as we are thought to be lazy and noisy.”
Although they are excited about the strikes, some students think that the educational situation is getting worse.
“To say it plain, these new educational measures are making our lives more difficult,” said someone who wishes to remain anonymous. “In Chemistry class we are more than forty, the teacher wasn’t assigned until October and that has resulted in more than half of the class having to take private lessons. Every day this situation gets more and more difficult. But who cares about teenagers?”
MADRID STRIKES
HAVE WIDESPREAD
PARTICIPATION
By: Lucia Cobián