The vote for Valencian: a victory without guarantees
More than 171,000 families opted for Valencian in a recent educational consultation, but this decision does not guarantee their election. The controversial law of ‘Educational Freedom’, promoted by the Minister of Education, José Antonio Rovira, has left many families in a situation of uncertainty.
Experiences of affected families
Estella Dumondel, mother of a second -of -primary girl in a public school in Valencia, expresses her disappointment. Although the Valencian has won 84.85% of votes for the third grade, his daughter could be assigned to a group in Spanish.
A worried Mare
Dumondel emphasizes that the distribution of students depends on the percentage of votes and does not guarantee that those who have chosen Valencian can study in their language. ‘Our vote does not seem to have value,’ he laments.
Asks for solutions to the Ministry
Families like Dumondel have been a appeal before the Ministry of Education, which has received criticism for not respecting the will of families. Rosa Oltra, from the Association Families for Valencian, emphasizes that the distribution of groups must be based on more inclusive criteria.
The context of the consultation
The defending entities of the Valencian had already warned that the law would not respect the elections of the families. “The freedom promised is not real,” reflects Oltra, who adds that more than a hundred resources have been presented to guarantee linguistic rights.
The reality of percentages in education
With 50.53% of the votes in favor of the Valencian, it has won by little Spanish. However, the situation varies greatly depending on the areas. In Spanish -speaking areas, the Valencian is practically excluded from the curriculum.
Lack of information and transparency
Yaiza Chaves, mother of two students, denounces the lack of information on the consultation in the Spanish -speaking counties, where they were initially told they would not vote. “The misinformation has been constant,” he says.
Family expectations and the Ministry’s response
In the face of lack of solutions, many families consider moving their children to other schools. The Ministry has stated that it will study each case, but families continue to require an effective response to their elections.
Reflections on the future
With the growing concern for school segregation, families and organizations that defend Valencian cry out for a repeal of this law that they consider to marginalize their own language. The struggle for Valencian in the classroom continues.
