A controversy has erupted over the school calendar in Mexican schools. Generally, Mexican schools do not close for summer vacation until the middle of July, and classes resume the beginning of September. Recently, the Secretary of Education announced that the academic year would end on June 5th instead of July 15th due to the World Cup and a heat wave.
The news perhaps caused glee among many students, but it has resulted in an unexpected backlash from teachers and parents. Teachers are upset that they will not be able to cover the required curriculum if the school year is cut by forty days. Parents are angry that the quality of their children's education is being sacrificed for a sporting event, and working parents were scrambling to change plans to care for their children during an extended summer vacation.
The "heat wave" is not a valid excuse. Yes, it has been hot here, but that is normal for this time of year. It was much hotter two years ago, and classes were not cancelled. Furthermore, by June, the beginning of the rainy season will moderate the temperatures. In fact, yesterday a front has passed through and the high temperature in Mexico City was a comfortable 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
How does the World Cup affect the schools? Yes, Mexico expects millions of foreign visitors, but in what way would that impact classes? Besides, the World Cup games are only being held in three Mexican cities.
A couple days ago, in response to the furor, the Mexican President backtracked and said that the proposal was not yet final. Then, yesterday, it was announced that the school calendar would remain as originally planned with classes held until July 15th. So, the voice of teachers and parents overrode the plans of the Secretary of Education.
No comments:
Post a Comment