Tijuana parents lock elementary school over teacher shortage

Parents at the Francisco Sarabia Elementary School in the Las Huertas neighborhood of Tijuana have locked the school gates to protest a prolonged shortage of teachers. The demonstration aims to demand the assignment of four missing educators, including three classroom teachers and one English teacher, which has left students in second, third, fourth, and fifth grades without regular instruction.

According to parents, the issue is not new and has persisted for several years. They claim that while some positions are vacant due to unpaid leave or medical incapacitation, administrative failures and lack of payment have prevented the assignment of interim teachers. One parent alleged that certain positions remain unfilled due to political maneuvering within the educational system.

Representatives of the parents' committee stated they have approached multiple authorities, including the Institute of Educational and Pedagogical Services (ISEP) and the Unit of the System for the Career of Teachers and Professors (Usicamm), but have received no effective response. The protesters have threatened to keep the school closed until a concrete solution is provided.