January and February 2021 were critical months for schools, and we students at Liceo Socrate have been standing up for important aspects regarding our safety, overlooked by the government in this emergency situation. The 11th of January, we took part in the first strike: students didn’t attend online lessons but instead they joined other students in doing alternatives activities like theater and dance classes coordinated by three different political organizations, while some other students decided to join the demonstration, were directed to the seat of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR).
A week later, as a school community, we decided to continue supporting the strike, so, a large number of students went to the meeting place at Porta San Paolo and they moved to the MIUR, where several teachers were waiting for them, and they protested side by side.
The main reason for the protest held at Liceo Socrate, is that during the whole period affected by the pandemic, schools aren’t given the importance they need and deserve; what’s more, lessons are scheduled at two different times, 8 and 10 o’clock, to avoid crowding on public transport. We argue that students don’t have enough free time for sport or other activities when they remain at school until early afternoon.
We had the opportunity to talk about this aspect of the school organization with Edoardo Ruggiero, a student from class 4Ac, who contributed to writing a letter, also addressed to the authorities, included the Ministry of Education, meant to support and champion the cause of High School Students of our country.
As Edoardo reported, some critical questions have become undeniable and even clearer with the spreading of COVID-19. We are still looking for a new and efficient way to express our dissatisfaction because the strikes seemed to go unnoticed.
Through this document, students wanted to propose alternatives so as to ease the work for both teachers and students. Edoardo was clear in pointing out that such ideas were not meant as an excuse to skip classes but, on the contrary, to attend lessons in a more pleasant way for every member of the school community.
The document is organized in 5 paragraphs: introduction, coronavirus emergency, constitutional administration, public transports and final considerations.
In the second section students suggested some new containment measures for schools, such as blood tests taken by everybody on a biweekly basis, thermal scanners useful for measuring body temperature to make sure no one spread viral diseases. Another essential aspect of the text produced by students is the inefficiency of online learning for a long period of time. Although the school provides the students electronic devices, the schools curriculum, which includes a specific number of hours, is put at risk; as a consequence, at the end of the year, students might not have completed the educational curriculum.
In conclusion, what the students are asking the government is to concentrate and target investments in schools, because they hold the roots that will bring the fruit of change.
