**Primary Article:**
**Mothers Protest Over Teacher Shortage at José Santos Valdez Elementary School**
Tijuana, September 23, 2024 – A group of concerned mothers held a protest due to a shortage of teachers at José Santos Valdez Elementary School in the El Rubí neighborhood of Tijuana. The parents have been dealing with the absence of educators for more than a month.
Alexa García, who is a guardian for a fourth-grade student, revealed that since the 2024-2025 school year began, students have not received any lessons due to the lack of teachers. “The school year has started and the children need to learn new things. I don’t blame the teachers as much as I blame the state government officials who have done nothing to address the issue. They just keep giving us false hopes,” she lamented.
Parents and guardians have taken it upon themselves to create activities to ensure the children do not fall behind in their education. They regularly visit the school for updates but are repeatedly met with the same response: there are no teachers available. In frustration, the parents blocked the entrance to the school on Monday, demanding that the problem be resolved promptly.
**Secondary Article:**
**Teacher Shortage Crisis in Tijuana’s Elementary Schools**
The issue at José Santos Valdez Elementary School isn’t isolated. Several other schools in Tijuana are grappling with a similar crisis. Recently, parents at Miguel Hidalgo Primary School also took drastic measures, occupying the school in protest against the absence of sufficient teaching staff.
Lidia Pérez, a parent involved in one of these protests, emphasized that the delay is impacting the children’s education severely. “How can we expect our kids to advance to the next grade or level if they are not getting the basic education they need?” she questioned.
The Secretariat of Education of Baja California (SEBC) has been under scrutiny for their failure to address these widespread shortages. This ongoing crisis begs the question: what measures are being put in place to ensure students receive the education they deserve?
Further repercussions of this teacher shortage have led to secondary school students facing significant academic gaps. Reports have surfaced showcasing instances where students entering higher grades lack fundamental skills, thus hampering their overall educational progression.
The growing discontent among parents and guardians signals an urgent need for systemic intervention to mitigate the long-term educational impacts on the children of Tijuana.