Students protest in Italy against new school decree

Students organized protests in Fermo and Messina to oppose the ‘DL Valditara’, a new school decree introduced by the Meloni government. The demonstrations, led by the Rete degli Studenti Medi, aim to defend the principle of public education as an inclusive space that guarantees equal rights and opportunities for all.

In Fermo, protesters gathered to argue that the current legislative direction risks increasing social inequalities and creating barriers to access. In Messina, demonstrators criticized the government for focusing on propaganda rather than addressing core issues such as classroom safety and sexual education.

The decree includes controversial measures, such as a general ban on participating in school activities with a covered face—unless for health or security reasons—and new regulations regarding the distribution of foreign students within classrooms. Critics of the law have characterized the measures as discriminatory and argued they fail to address the actual needs of the student population.