Teachers, students and all involved in education are on strike across Spain today against cuts.

Origional from: teachersolidarity.com

Today’s strike is the latest stage in a determined campaign by teachers, their unions, students and schools students to reject the right wing Spanish government’s austerity measures which are increasing class sizes – to as much as 46 in sixth form colleges – making huge cuts in early years education and teacher training, and badly affecting rural schools, as well as sacking large numbers of temporary teachers. Today is the first time that all sectors of the education system have been on strike together.

For the last several months, people involved in education have staged protests, strikes and demonstrations against the massive cuts being demanded by the government – some of which have been violently attacked by security forces – most notoriously in Valencia in February, where school students were protesting that there was no heating in their schools.

Students made mock-ups of tombs on campuses to symbolise the death of the Spanish school system if these cuts go ahead. Teachers say that they are being supported by parents who are keeping their children away from school for the strike. A representative of the teaching union FETE is reported as saying: “Families are really getting involved, there is major involvement in all of the education community.”

The Spanish government is desparately trying to shore up the banks, even as it cuts education spending, as bond traders and bankers fear that Spain will be the next country to need a bail out. Like Greece and to a greater or lesser extent many other countries in the European Union, the Spanish people are being treated to the neo-liberal economic shock doctrine, based on the premise that cutting state expenditure, privatising public services and letting market forces rip will solve all problems – a philosophy which has lead to the crisis we are all facing. Like teachers and so many others all over the world however, the teachers, students and parents of Spain are saying, ‘We will not pay for your crisis!’