Mexican parental protests over school staffing shortages

Parents in various Mexican states have engaged in protests and occupations to address staffing and leadership shortages in local schools.

In Veracruz, families from the Laguna Chica community in Tezonapa demonstrated before the Ministry of Education to protest a decade-long shortage of teachers at the ‘Justo Sierra’ Telesecundaria school. Protesters claimed that despite previous street closures and school occupations, authorities have failed to resolve the recurring lack of instructors.

In Zacatecas, the 20 de Noviembre elementary school has been occupied by parents demanding a new director following the August 1 retirement of Maura Anguiano. While the Secretariat of Education of Zacatecas (SEZ) initially rejected the request by claiming the school lacked the minimum enrollment of 160 students, parents assert the school maintains 161 students across nine groups. Protesters have vowed to maintain the closure until a permanent director and necessary staff are provided.

Further unrest has emerged in Zacatecas involving both educators and parents. At the Seduzac offices, staff from the Emiliano Zapata Child Development Centers (CENDI), art teachers, and physical education instructors have blocked access to protest unpaid bonuses and administrative delays regarding federal subsidies. In Sombrerete, parents have occupied the Miguel Auza primary school to demand a teacher for a third-grade class currently managed by a single instructor for 43 students. Parents have rejected suggestions from the Subsecretariat of Planning to relocate students, citing the right to choose their educational center.