Tags
Brazil’s Proposed Constitutional Amendment PEC 241, Paraná/Brazil, Public Education, Student High School Occupations in Brazil, Student Leader Ana Júlia Ribeiro
Military police in high school occupied by students in São Paulo – Brazil
Photo Credit: Agência Brasil Fotografias/Jacobin Magazine
My second quote for the ‘Three Quotes for Three Days’ challenge – an invitation from British author and blogger Frank Parker – comes from Ana Júlia Ribeiro, a sixteen-year-old, public high school student in Curitiba, capital of the State of Paraná in South Brazil. It’s an excerpt from her ten-minute impassioned address before the Paraná State Assembly on October 26, 2016, in defense of the student occupation of their high schools.
Our flag is Education. Our only flag is Education. We’re a nonpartisan movement. We’re a movement by students and for students. We’re a movement that cares about future generations. A movement that’s concerned about society. Concerned about the future of the country. What future will Brazil have if it doesn’t want a whole generation to develop critical thinking? People must have a political, critical sense. People shouldn’t just believe any stuff they read. We must know what we are reading. We must stand against functional illiteracy which is a major problem in Brazil today. That’s why we are here, and that’s why we have occupied our schools. That’s why we have raised the flag of Education.
These are tough times for Brazil’s young people. With the ouster of the socialist democratic Workers’ Party and the ascension of the right-wing conservative, neoliberal parties, students now face drastic cuts in funds for the public education system. The proposed constitutional amendment, know as PEC 241, already approved by Brazil’s Lower Chamber of Deputies, will cap government expenditures for the next 20 years.
Beginning in São Paulo in early October and spreading to other major cities across Brazil, students have taken to the streets in protest and have occupied more than 1,000 public high schools, 82 technical colleges, and 96 state university campuses. The majority of student occupations have been in the conservative state of Paraná.
Makeshift beds in occupied classroom – Porto Alegre – Brazil
Photo Credit: Midía Ninja/NACLA
In times of great upheaval within our society, unlikely leaders rise up from among the people who inspire us and give us hope in our continued struggle against injustice and oppression. Sixteen-year-old Ana Júlia Ribeiro is such a leader. You can listen to her entire address with English subtitles on YouTube. A translation of the address, including her tense exchange with the president of the assembly, is also available on the Jacobin online magazine.
Ana Júlia Ribeiro outside her school – Paraná – Brazil
Photo Credit: Henry Milleo/Jacobin Magazine
In keeping with the rules of the ‘Three Quotes for Three Days’ challenge, I invite the following bloggers to take up the banner:
Brings back bitter-sweet memories of school occupations or “sit ins” as we called them. Not sure this is the best or wisest way to demonstrate antipathy to new policies, but kids will be kids. Hopefully this heroine will not be assassinated and there won’t be mass killings. Tinder box situation.
Thanks for dropping by, Sha’Tara 🙂 Yes, it’s a volatile situation for the young occupiers. As you so wisely said in one of your posts: “We are our children’s future.” Now, they are fighting to take their future back from us.
Wishing them support & success in staying clear & calm in their difficult effort to create better learning conditions and a better future 🙂
Thanks, SmileCalm. Their future is on the line. They’re very committed to the struggle. As Ana Julia said in an interview: “This isn’t a game for us. We know what we are fighting for.”
“People must have a political, critical sense.” She gets it. Too many, in too many places, don’t. Sensible and educated people of all stripes and good will can agree on this.
Dr. Stein, it was heartening to see high school students so politically engaged. I have no idea if America’s high school curriculum is preparing our young people to have a political, critical sense.