Chile student protesters occupy high schools (protesting private sector takeover of schools)

[Starry Messenger]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/15/chile-student-protesters-high-schools

Hundreds of students have occupied high schools and blocked traffic in Chile's capital to demand education reform. Police in riot gear evicted students from several schools but at least seven remained occupied on Wednesday.

The changes sought by students who have been protesting and boycotting classes all week would fundamentally overhaul a school system that has been privatised since the 1973-90 dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

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The government plans to raise about US$1bn in taxes for education but students say it is not enough. Beyer has said the government will not cede to their demands for free education, calling it an unfair, backward-looking policy.

<snip>

Student leaders say real change will only come when the private sector is regulated and education is no longer a for-profit business.

[LWolf]

1. Student leaders are correct.

I'd like to see students and teachers join together to do the same here in the U.S..

[HiPointDem]

2. this has been happening for some time, at all levels of education including the universities.

'chilean winter'

The 2011–2012 Chilean protests, Chilean Winter (in particular reference to the massive protests of August 2011) or Chilean Education Conflict (as labelled in Chilean media) are a series of ongoing student-led protests across Chile, demanding a new framework for education in Chile, including more direct state participation in secondary education and an end to the existence of profit in higher education. Currently in Chile, only 45% of high school students study in traditional public schools and most universities are also private. No new public universities have been built since the end of the Pinochet era, even though the number of university students have swelled.

Beyond the specific demands regarding education, there is a feeling that the protests reflect a "deep discontent" among some parts of society with Chile's high level of inequality.[2] Protests have included massive non-violent marches, but also a considerable amount of violence on the part of a side of protestors as well as riot police.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%932012_Chilean_student_protests