Junts, ERC, and Comuns have demanded an extraordinary session of Barcelona City Council's Social Rights Commission to stop a Generalitat pilot programme that would place Mossos d'Esquadra officers in secondary schools across the city. The pilot has already started in schools in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and at two centres in El Prat de Llobregat and Sabadell, all within the metropolitan area.
The municipal groups warned that this initiative would change police from a temporary, complementary resource to a daily presence, which “can alter the very nature of the educational space,” according to a joint statement. They also called on the Generalitat to withdraw the scheme from all centres where it is being implemented.
Concerns Over Resource Allocation
The parties argued that this measure could be seen as a replacement for the educational and social resources that the education community has requested for years. Junts, ERC, and Comuns maintained that schools must remain “spaces of trust, connection, and opportunity.” They cautioned that a police presence could “damage coexistence and weaken educational relationships.”
They have urged Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni to take a stand and support an alternative model to police presence. This alternative would involve increasing the number of social educators, psychologists, and counsellors in all educational centres. It would also mean developing socio-emotional education and restorative justice programmes, alongside promoting mentoring initiatives for students at risk.
Expanding Support Services
The proposal from the three parties also includes expanding the number of monitors during lunchtime and extracurricular activities. Furthermore, it seeks to reinforce social intervention teams to address underlying inequalities affecting students. This approach aims to strengthen community support within schools rather than relying on law enforcement.
