Cold Showers

---

The Students opposed to the auditorium Segura-policy have been involved in violent clashes with The Police in the capital, Santiago

"Not a student throws a Molotov cocktail, just because you feel Like it and think it's fun," says Rodrigo Perez.

The 17-year-old is President of the Association of students at the Instituto Nacional (National Institute) in the capital of Chile , Santiago . He talks about the motivation behind his fellow students ' behavior.

Rodrigo Pérez does not agree with the methods of the masked students, but understands your concerns

The Boys ' State School , one of the country's most prestigious. It has a rigorous selection process and offers A Number of former US presidents as alumni.

But in The Last few months, has The School in the headlines less for his scientific achievements and more for The Action of some of his pupils have thrown petrol bombs from The School roof-and taken over the classroom.

tear gas and water cannons to break up some of The Most heated protests.

students say that The Police response was over The Top

The School has installed security cameras and police search The Bags of students entering the premises, in order to prevent a repetition of the devastating events that were conducted of students who hid their identity behind masks.

A handful of other famous young " state schools also have protests participated, but the Instituto Nacional, The Most extreme.

'Fed Up with labels

"It's Like a Pressure Cooker exploded eventually, and it led to this kind of violence," says Rodrigo of those who protest.

He can't with the methods of the masked student, but he understands their motivation only too well: "My school is a reflection of The State of the education in Chile - a lack of resources and care for The Students . "

you may also be interested in:

There are complaints of rat infestation, blocked bathroom with a sewage leak, Cold Showers , broken Windows, leaking roofs and bullied the teacher.

"to change We have been asking for The Last Six Years , the things. We are tired of being labelled as terrorists and criminals, when all we want is to be heard. ", he explains.

students say that the class rooms are in a desolate condition

The masked students - how many other pupils at The School - would be pumped more resources, in your school, enough Teachers , and a reform of The National curriculum, which they say is too old-fashioned and does not reflect the 21st century. Century think.

Some students think the only way to throw the attention of the people petrol bombs and take over the classroom.

Long-running problem

critics say that the problem of the government schools suffer from funding problems goes back to the rule of Gen Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s and 80s, when they were under the control of the local authorities, which they accuse of siphoning off of The Money earmarked for the schools.

the Teachers also have the deterioration of the public education

Felipe Alessandri, The Mayor of the region where The School is denounced, and who is responsible for The School finances, rejects this. "As I was mayor, every peso that I got for the infrastructure of The School ," he says.

He makes The Students for The School sick condition. "Every time we repair something, The Students damage. We were some of the bathrooms over The Holidays and The First day of the new expression that they had Damaged graffiti all over it, and were. "

The Mayor is the fault of The Students for The Crisis , angering more

He argues that the troublemakers are a small group of highly politicised student interruptions.

mayor Alessandri believes that tough measures are necessary to stop you. "We can't disciple gasoline to pour on the teacher and throw bombs. We must stop them", he argues.

'Heavy-handed policy,"

His views are shared by the government of the right-wing President Sebastián Piñera has introduced a Directive with the name "Aula Segura" (Safe rooms) to contain the protests.

Under the auditorium Segura pupils in the suspicion can be excluded from the participation in violent protests, from The School with immediate effect, even if their behavior is still the subject of investigation.

Rodrigo said, this new measure - which sometimes leads to pupils and students exposed to no injustice is done - is clumsy and has further alienate the already disgruntled students.

He says that this also The Number of masked protesters, the swell of approximately 20 to 100 out of a total student body of 4000.

"When The State dictates its policies with violence, to remove with The Police , the penetration of The School , students, and with tear gas and water cannons, it shows us that violence is their response to The Situation and creates resistance," Rodrigo argued.

deep cleavage

parents are divided about How To deal with the problem, with three parent associations stands.

Judy Valdés leads one of them. "Even The Students who throw Molotov cocktails have rights because they are children who are still growing-and that is what The Mayor and the government do not understand," she says, but stresses that you don't agree with their methods.

Ms Valdés wants to help more therapists in The School , with the depression and other Mental Health problems that many students experience.

The Students say that participating in class can sometimes make the input resemble A War zone, and that even those who do not get actively involved in the protests in the melee.

Natalia Canales Riquelme is the 14-year-old son, Santiago , is one of them.

Santiago was caught in The Middle of a protest and was trampled by students fleeing The Police

Santiago "was not masked, he was not throwing stones, that he does not even know how the gas stove, let alone throw in for petrol bombs," says the mother of The Day he almost died when he got caught in The Middle , where The Police confronted the demonstrators with tear gas.

"I was almost suffocated, I thought I would die. When we finally managed to Get Out of the yard, I fell over, and all The Other students trampled me as they ran away," Santiago recalls.

mayor Alessandri says that he listens to the needs of the pupils and their parents, and that he is trying to find the necessary money for the modernization of The School .

But with the emotions running high among The Students is not clear whether The Mayor his promise improvements will be enough to convince you to end the protests.

santiago, chile

Source of news: bbc.com