Dozens of people gathered outside Eugeni d’Ors and Margarida Xirgu secondary schools in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat on 27 April to protest a government pilot scheme deploying plain-clothes Mossos d'Esquadra officers.
These two schools are among 13 centres designated for the trial, which the government says aims to promote coexistence. However, staff teams at both schools have rejected the decision, calling it "an insult" and claiming it was made without consulting the educational community.
Teachers and students also reported a complete lack of information about the deployment and how it would be carried out. Pepa Vidal, a teacher at Margarida Xirgu, stated, "We find no justification for it. Of course, we have problems, but we have healthy coexistence." Several students described the measure as "a racist and stigmatising attack", arguing that the presence of plain-clothes police questions the work done in schools and reinforces prejudices about the educational community in these institutions.
Calls for Withdrawal of Plan
The staff assemblies of both L'Hospitalet schools issued a joint statement demanding the government withdraw the plan. They believe it will not help resolve conflict. "It is not solved with policing measures, but social ones," they said, advocating for the hiring of specialised professionals such as social educators, counsellors, and caregivers to support students in complex situations.
The Department of Education and the Mossos d'Esquadra announced the pilot scheme last Thursday. It aims to reduce conflicts by deploying plain-clothes police agents in secondary schools. Teaching unions have criticised the measure, stating they were not consulted.
Pilot Scheme Details
The plan will start experimentally this month in 13 secondary schools. Mossos officers will attend regularly, dressed in plain clothes and unarmed, to intervene when necessary. Specifically, the trial will take place in the educational zones of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Vic, Alta Ribagorça-Vall d’Aran, and Tàrrega, as well as in two schools in El Prat de Llobregat and Sabadell.
The announcement of the plan comes amid tension between the Department of Education and Catalonia's main teaching unions. In early March, the department reached an agreement with CCOO and UGT, minority unions in the sector, to call off previous strikes. However, USTEC, Intersindical, CGT, and the Secondary Teachers' Union (Aspepc-sps) have opposed this agreement.
Moving forward, the government will need to address the concerns raised by teaching staff and students regarding the pilot scheme's implementation and its potential impact on school environments. Further discussions with the broader educational community may be necessary to ensure the plan genuinely promotes coexistence and addresses underlying issues effectively.
