The association of heads of public secondary schools in Madrid rejects suspicion of political or ideological indoctrination in lessons. The issue was prompted by announced neutrality rules from the regional government for public educational institutions. The association Adimad sees this as an unjustified questioning of teachers’ professionalism and School leadership.
In a statement, Adimad rejects any suggestion, according to reports by several Spanish media outlets, that public schools in the Autonomous Community of Madrid engage in political or ideological indoctrination. Such a portrayal, it says, reflects neither everyday school life nor teachers’ daily work. At the same time, the association expressed concern about the actions of the education administration and called on it to resume talks amid the ongoing labour dispute.
On 11 November, the regional government led by President Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced an instruction to strengthen institutional and educational neutrality. According to news agency Efe, political, ideological or party-political posters, banners and symbols are to be removed from areas used by minors. Union noticeboards are exempt. School heads are to remove the relevant materials and report incidents to the school inspectorate .
The education authorities say the aim is to prevent the spread of ideological positions and any form of indoctrination in the school environment. According to Efe, Education Minister Mercedes Zarzalejo said that lessons, discussions with pupils and exams must not be used to rally support for a strike or a political dispute.
The dispute coincides with an indefinite strike by public education staff in the Madrid region. Unions are demanding, among other things, fewer teaching hours, smaller class sizes and higher salaries. Representatives of the strike committees criticise the rules as pressure on staff. According to a report by La Vanguardia, the work stoppages began on 14 October.
The positions should be distinguished: the regional government invokes neutrality, while Adimad rejects the suspicion associated with it. Rejecting the suspicion does not automatically mean that the association has called on its members to disregard binding instructions. The reports consulted provide no evidence of specific sanctions against individual school heads.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).