Argentina teachers demand protection amid rising school violence

Union leaders in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province say assaults on teachers have increased sharply. Secretary‑general Alejandro Salcedo of the provincial teachers’ union cited incidents such as a teacher in Moreno who had his nose broken and a music instructor in Tandil who suffered a fractured jaw after being struck by a student. The unions accuse parents and pupils of repeatedly entering schools to attack staff and call for urgent multi‑sector action, stricter sanctions for aggressors and measures to prevent violence.

The educators also demand the reopening of collective salary negotiations they say are needed to restore lost purchasing power after recent national budget cuts that eliminated funding for full‑day schools, infrastructure, transport subsidies and other benefits. They argue the violence reflects a broader devaluation of public education and urge provincial and national authorities, including the ministries of Justice and Education, to address the issue as a labour problem, not merely a school‑discipline matter.