### Parents Protest Teacher Shortage at Miguel Hidalgo Elementary School
Parents at Miguel Hidalgo Elementary School in Tijuana have taken drastic measures by occupying the school premises in protest of a severe teacher shortage impacting four classes. This situation arose at the start of the school year, and parents have yet to receive any official notice on when it might be resolved.
Early in the day, the protesting parents erected signs around the school with messages such as “We Demand Solutions” and “We Want Action Now.” The primary grievance is that four classes have been without teachers since the beginning of the school term, and students have been left to fend for themselves academically. This has led to concerns about the quality of education and fairness in testing on subjects the students haven’t been taught.
Cecilia Flores, the mother of a fourth-grader, expressed her frustration: “It’s not fair to be without teachers. We value the quality of education here, but it’s unacceptable that 20 days into the school year, they still don’t have teachers. They are even being tested on topics they haven’t learned. There has been no word from the school administration or the Department of Education, so we had no choice but to take over the school.”
Virginia Márquez, another concerned mother, lamented that this is the second consecutive year with such issues, severely affecting the quality of education her children receive. “We have no idea when they will have a teacher. The children come to class and remain aimless until a teacher arrives. What will happen for the rest of the school year? The school leadership tells us there are no resources for teachers,” remarked Márquez.
There have been discussions about possibly merging some classes, which could result in up to 40 students per classroom, a scenario that parents believe would further impair the students’ learning experience. “We need teachers immediately. It’s unacceptable for the children to come to school and be left alone,” Márquez asserted.
Interestingly, the school occupation did not gain the backing of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). The PTA’s leadership noted that while 18 classes were disrupted, only two are without full-time teachers, and those are receiving support from a technical advisor. Perla Melgoza, President of the PTA, stated, “Those who are protesting are not considering the views of all parents and the council. Last year, we also faced a teacher shortage, but the school was not occupied. This is a governmental issue, not the school’s fault.”
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