Category Archives: Politics

July 25, 2016 · 7:00 am

Teacher protests and Facebook

politcal views

Well, I’ve gone and done it. I’ve gotten into a public argument on Facebook with a complete stranger. About what? The civil unrest and protests in Oaxaca.

How did I get myself in such a predicament? It started innocently enough. Another group member posted Mexico: State Terror, Education Reform and the Stock Exchange. The article outlines the violent situation and proposes that The reasons why the Mexican government wants to impose the education reform—even if it means killing people, as with the massacre in Nochixtlan by repressive state forces on June 19—are rooted in economic objectives guided by international financial organizations.

Now, I’ve already discussed at Surviving Mexico the Education Reform package (See Political Wrangling), so I won’t get into why the teacher’s union opposes its implementation here. What struck me was the idea that this whole situation may have a distinct cause, not just teacher examinations. As I pondered this, I remember a seemingly unrelated post called Chinese look to invest in southern Mexico.

As I’m not much interested in economics, I almost didn’t read the article. But I did. In summary: Authorities from China’s Guangdong Province met with Mexican officials and discussed plans to invest in Mexico’s recently-established Special Economic Zones. These zones offer tax benefits and support services to investors in order to generate new sources of employment in southern Mexico (Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Michoacán, Veracruz and Tabasco).

These states currently have the highest rate of disappearances.

Just looking at the recent headlines for these areas gives you a good idea who are behind the disappearances.

Guerrero—local police kidnapped no less than 100 people over the last two years in Guerrero, including students, women, children, and an African priest

Oaxaca—Oaxaca Residents Say Mexican Police Began Massacre – Now They Want Them Out

Chiapas—Federal Police Repress Parents that Support Teachers with  Tear Gas in Chiapas

Michoacán—New Evidence Shows Police Did Massacre 42 in Michoacan, Mexico

Veracruz—4 state police were arrested in connection with the disappearance in Veracruz of four men ages 24 to 27 and a 16-year-old girl

Tabasco—Teachers clashed with riot police

What if, just supposing, that some of these protests were staged in order to give the government an excuse to come in and militarize the area, paving the way for those Chinese investors? The connection seemed strong enough for me to comment in the Facebook group post. (See also Mexico’s enemy…on Claudio X. Gonzalez)

The poster responded with the following: if you have the time and inclination, I suggest a 55 minute documentary called “The Demarest Factor: US Military Mapping of Indigenous Communities in Oaxaca, Mexico” released in 2010:This film is part of an ongoing investigation which has exposed US military mapping of communally owned indigenous land in the Southern Sierra in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The mapping took place under the auspices of the department of geography from Kansas University in Lawrence, Kansas in collaboration with the Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) at Fort Leavenworth, in Leavenworth, Kansas. The FMSO senior analyst Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey B. Demarest declares in several essays and texts that communal ownership of property leads to crime and insurgency. The film exposes an ongoing military strategy to criminalize indigenous land tenure and identity in order to secure political and economic interests in the region.

Wow! This was a real eye opener for me. But then someone else chimed in on the conversation. His contribution was: Put the crack pipe down for a couple days. You have lost touch with reality. One small group of terrorists, sucking the Federal money teat, and finding at some point they need to work and produce to survive in the world. The majority of the States of Mexico approve of children having a real education as opposed to walking barefoot. Deal with reality. What a bullsh*t stupid post.

Now I’ve had a run-in with this particular group member before during a discussion about the relative safety of Mexico. He insisted that Mexico was completely safe and that you should never believe anything posted on the internet. I made the comment that my husband had been kidnapped, my nephew tortured and my mother-in-law killed by police. In addition, I knew 3 people personally who had been kidnapped and ransomed and 3 more that were kidnapped and killed. He told me that he didn’t believe any of it and that I was full of crap. Instead of engaging, I left the conversation. Later, I found out that another member had defended my statement as true and carried on in my stead. To no avail.

Anyway, I replied to his post quoting Facebook’s commenting policy. People use Facebook to share their experiences and to raise awareness about issues that are important to them. This means that you may encounter opinions that are different from yours, which we believe can lead to important conversations about difficult topics. Implying that someone is high or insane is not respectful.

His histrionic comment was: So saying that the teachers burning and destroying the private property of their neighbors is a respectful way to argue a problem that HAS been resolved, to their misfortune? It Takes an uneducated person to not understand that laws were passed by 3/4 of Mexico’s states and still cry and extort money. When the teachers start to act like people who YOU would like to teach your children about right and wrong and 2 +2 and how to spell their name, let me know.

Actually, my son attends public school here in Mexico and his teachers oppose the educational reform, but not for the same reasons as the Teacher’s Union. The exam will not provide educational equality and is a tool being used by the government to cut the power of the Teacher’s Union. And I am certainly not uneducated and fully understand that the government railroaded the reforms through, which leaves little room for negotiation. The government does what it does and we see the results in the protests.

My public response was No one has made the claim that the actions of the teachers are correct in any of this conversation. Only that there are other reasons for the civil unrest. The entire situation is rooted in corruption–by the teacher union AND the Mexican government. So give it a rest bud!

Apparently, he didn’t like that and countered with The burning of public and private businesses and property, hijacking of private vehicles, firebombing, extortion, robbery and murder come from the so call “Teacher’s Union ” Mexico Government is being very nice so far. Look at the history of the world ( I mean entire world) in any other country. These criminals would have been put down years ago. Stop blaming the cause on the Federal Government, the Feds should today be acting with extreme force to allow food and fuel into these areas, but they are not. Yet.

From one of my online friends in another group living in Oaxaca, I know that most of what has been released by official sources is not accurate. She personally saw 4 police officers looting an electronics store, loading up the refrigerator on the back of their police vehicle. As for murder, well, the police are the only ones with guns in this conflict.

Additionally, thanks to a new law passed over Easter break, the government can use deadly force to “keep the peace.”

My response: Again, I have not said in any way that the teacher’s union has been correct in its actions. AND the government is also responsible for burning public and private businesses, firebombing, EXTORTION, ROBBERY, AND MURDER. Perhaps you are correct in saying that in other countries, the insurgents would have been massacred earlier before things got to this point. That doesn’t make it right. Interesting you should mention keeping fuel out of the area. Seems that’s exactly what the government is doing in Chihuahua.

From another online friend in Chihuahua, the whole gas crisis started when PRI didn’t win the local elections. Imagine that.

The conversation continued with another more respectful participant.

Undereducated teachers in fear of losing jobs. Unions in fear of losing members. Teachers who are dedicated to teaching shamed by unions for crossing the picket line. Their heads shaved and forced to walk holding signs.

The current private schools need to stop hiring foreigners with no teaching background or degree.

All Mexico teachers should be tested yearly. If they don’t meet requirements. They should be fired.This is for the better of Mexico’s future.

This comment takes me back to my post about Political Wrangling and Educational Reform.

ignorante

Only someone ignorant could believe that education in Mexico will change with teacher evaluations.  It would be better to examine the distribution of tax dollars that members of congress earn in order to have dignified schools.

After making the following comment: All of those things are true. Unfortunately, a yearly test won’t ensure that qualified teachers have teaching positions. It is SO easy to buy your teaching certificate here in Mexico, pay someone to take your exam, or pay the administrator to pass you–con mordida (bribes) o con cuerpo (giving sexual favors in exchange for something). There are multiple layers to the issue which need resolution.

I then bowed out of the debate and unfollowed the post. I have other things to do, like write this post.

like

*******************************************

disclosure

Leave a comment

Filed under Education, Politics, Teaching

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 11, 2015 · 7:00 am

Mexican Educational Reform and Political Wrangling

cam04012-1.jpg

The last Friday of every month during the school year, except December and Semana Santa, is the dreaded CTE (Consejo Technico Educativo) meeting for teachers formerly known as Organo Colegiado Escolar (OCE).

The now redesigned CTE meetings are a direct result of recent educational reforms passed into law by the esteemed Mexican President Pena-Nieto. In theory, additional teacher training is a good idea. After all, the Mexican educational system definitely has room for improvement. But…..

The CTE forum is based on a teacher training program used in Chile, modified to suit the Mexican government’s agenda. Instead of open and frank discussion and problem-solving, the content of the CTE meetings is carefully orchestrated by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP). Each meeting is to focus on a reglamento (statute) and there is no room for individual school differences based on the assumption that the teachers, students, and schools in Oaxaca and those in Mexico D.F. are equal in every way. Everybody must be on the same page as the program progresses. (Educational Reform and State Power in Mexico)

In addition, each school is to submit a proyecto escolar (school project) complete with short and long term goals. Again, in theory, that seems reasonable. However, the school projects must be approved or the school risks losing accreditation. So it’s no surprise that the projects are, more often than not, chosen from a government approved list rather than designed by each school to meet its needs.

As if that isn’t enough, individual teachers are required to submit el plan de maestro (teacher’s plan) which demonstrates how each teacher plans on incorporating the school project and reglamentos (statutes) set up by the CTE into his or her teaching.

control education

So we have this 3-tiered plan of action in school reformation which sounds progressive, to be sure. However, government control is rampant. Subject matter is carefully monitored. Textbooks are issued by SEP and both teachers and schools must render an accounting at the end of the school year. The CTE meetings are yet another way the federal government of Mexico is exerting its influence on the educational system.

The national news has been highlighting some questionable activities on the part of teachers to support the new reforms. One practice that surprised me was the passing on of teaching degrees to the children of the teachers who had obtained them. The teaching credentials are considered an inheritance much as a title of Don was under Spanish rule. But that age-old tradition took a back seat to other “concerns.” Probably because nepotism is alive and well here in Mexico.

Fun Fact for ya–Did you know that the current president is related to four former governors in his state and that his cousin took over his governorship when he was elected as president?

abusometro

Another less than kosher practice was discovered when a census of current teachers was conducted. There were thousands of teachers throughout Mexico that were receiving government pay for teaching at non-existent schools. Reportedly there were even 70 teachers nationwide earning more than the President himself. I find that hard to believe. Perhaps the dean of UNAM could be raking in those big bucks. But really, even the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) reported that the average teacher’s monthly salary at only about $2,000 USD. Being a teacher myself, I find this estimate still too high.

poor teacher

Looking at another source, the World Salaries comparison reports Mexican teachers earn between $651 USD and $1,018 USD. That seems to me a far more believable figure since my own teacher salary is under even that amount. The inflated IMCO figures have been used to prejudice the general public against teachers. Based on those figures, the agency reports that teachers are the highest paid occupation in Mexico. That’s an eye opener for ya! I’d like to see the census of politicians receiving excessive pay and compare their paychecks before I make any judgment on this particular issue. (See Mexican Officials Feather their Nests while Decrying US Immigration Policy)

Just as an interesting side note—Did you know that the current president of Mexico receives somewhere between $13,307 USD and $20, 857 USD each month before taxes? Nobody seems clear on the exact figure of Sr. Pena-Nieto’s salary. Did you know that the current president will continue to receive a lifelong pension after his term ends? Did you know that there are currently 5 ex-presidents receiving this lifelong pension?

Then another 1,440 teachers in Hidalgo all had the same birthday and were over 100 years old. Those dastardly teachers! However, the state officials clarified that those marked with the birthdate December 12, 1912 have child support deducted from their salaries and the birthday is a way of noting that.

Another little tidbit–Pena-Nieto has been accused of being a deadbeat dad. He fathered an illegitimate son in 2005, while married to his first wife (who died under mysterious circumstances in 2007). He claims he pays up, but the mother of his child disagrees and outed him on Facebook in 2012.

Finally, there was the recent arrest of the former president of SNTE teacher’s union for embezzlement. Elba Esther Gordillo even made Forbes Most Corrupt People in Mexico list. But don’t worry, it’s not just teachers that are corrupt. Pena-Nieto’s own uncle, Arturo Montiel Rojas, also made the list.

reform

So based on these questionable teacher practices, the federal government has stepped up their vigilance. There has been extreme resistance to reforms from the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) and the National Committee of Education Workers (CNTE), but not for the reasons that are often publicized.

For instance, one of the new requirements will be the mandatory testing of all teachers, principals, counselors and staff. The assessment designed by the National Institutes for Educational Evaluation (INEE) must be satisfactorily completed during a two-year period. If teachers do not pass, they will no longer be allowed to teach, but will be assigned administrative positions or be forced to accept voluntary retirement. A teacher that does not take the test will not be allowed to continue in his or her current position.

mexibus

The SNTE and CNTE are not opposed to teacher testing but insist that this will not solve the underlying problems in the Mexican education system. One teacher described the situation in this allegory paraphrased below:

‘The government has seen that our students are in an educational “bus” that is in poor condition, like the trambillas (chicken buses). The shocks are gone, the brakes don’t work, the steering wheel is loose, the floor is rusted through and so on. The government sees that our children take this bus over a rough road, hardly even a road, full of dangerous curves, holes, steep cliffs and so on (Mexican society) So the government’s solution to this is to take the driver of the bus (the teacher), give him a new suit, a fancy cap, train him to fly planes even. Then, after all that specialized training put him back in the same bus that runs over the same road. The problems that the educational system face are not being addressed in additional teacher training.’–Professor Alberto at the November 27th CTE multi-grade meeting in Moroleon.

our-education-system

Another issue that protesting groups highlight is the top-down approach to educational reform as demonstrated in the CTE sessions and the national exams. The teacher unions insist that exams should be created from the bottom-up with teachers in the classroom contributing to state-administered exams that take into account the disparity of income, culture and even language found throughout Mexico.

While Mexico has eliminated the yearly national exam called ENLACE, the National Institute for the Evaluation of Education (INEE) began implementation of another exam administered to sixth graders in elementary school, third-year secondary students (ninth graders) and third-year high school students (12th graders) called PLANEA.

At our last CTE meeting, we were given a chart that showed the results of the PLANEA from last year. Guanajuato state was next to last for the results of this exam. The top performing district was Mexico City, followed by Colima.

Ok, looking at just that information–

Mexico City is the 8th wealthiest city in the world. Schools within the district are under the domain of the federal government rather than State control. So it would be safe to bet that schools are more than adequately equipped with all the modern doodads that make learning interactive and fun. Federal teachers are paid much higher than State teachers, another incentive there.  And as the federal curriculum comes from the same source the PLANEA, students taught that curriculum are in a good position to score well on the exam.

Colima, ranking in a #2 on the PLANEA exams is Mexico’s fourth smallest state and the second-lowest population but is considered to have the highest standard of living and lowest unemployment rate in Mexico. Again, it seems that the prize goes to the elite. Within the state, there are only 307 preschools, 510 elementary schools, 131 middle schools and 57 high schools.

Now let’s look at Guanajuato, ranking next to last on the PLANEA exams. This state has over 4,000 preschools, 4,600 elementary schools, 1400 middle schools and 650 high schools. Aren’t we comparing apples to oranges here?

All in all, based on the results of the PLANEA only 12% of students in Mexico have adequate academic skills. At the last CTE meeting, teachers of Guanajuato, me being one, were berated for the low scores because it has to be the teachers fault, right? (See Mexico Public Education: New Student Achievement Test Finds Elementary and Middle School Students Still Perform Poorly)

big story.png

But what’s this all about really? Here are some headlines that you might not have seen with all this publicity on educational reform–

Mexico Plans to Eliminate 246 Social Programs in 2016

Nearly a Dozen Dead After Violent Few Days in Mexico’s Guerrero

Mexican President Has Spent Almost $1 Billion in Publicity
Mexican Lawmakers Demand Peña Nieto Declare Financial Assets
Violence, Impunity in Mexico Put Governance, Democracy at Risk

Drug Violence Fueling Displacement in Guerrero, Mexico

Mexico readies for 2016 Domestic Drug Policy Debate
Leaked Intelligence Points to Top Level Corruption in El Chapo Escape

Pemex: Oil Theft Up by 44% in Mexico

Mexico Local Officials Behind Mass Grave in Morelos

The Implications of Mexico’s Rising Deportations

No Keystone, No Problem: TansCanada Turns to Mexico Expansion

Violence, drugs dash Mexico Triqui people’s dream of new start far from home

Yes,’ Carlos Slim Is Linked to Drug Trafficking

***********************************************

disclosure

8 Comments

Filed under Cultural Challenges, Economics, Education, Parenting Challenges and Cultural Norms, Politics, Teaching

Tagged as , , , ,

June 26, 2015 · 7:00 am

Local Elections

I didn’t want to write about the mid-term elections this year. I refused to get involved nor did I want to know anything about the campaigning. When I came across a bunch of flag waving, singing, partido (party) supporters, I hurried away as fast as my moto could take me. But, the story is just too good not to share. So here it is.

Election campaigning is of a very limited nature. Parties can begin their hoopla on April 5 and must end it all, I mean dead silence, three days before elections on June 4. (Get facts about Mexicos 2015 midterm elections) This time, June 7 fell on a Sunday, so no breath of public advertising was permitted beginning on Thursday. Mexico also enforces la ley seca (the dry law) the period before the election under the belief that sober voters make fair elections. No alcohol can be bought the day before the election. Again, since this was a weekend election, the dry period began Friday at midnight and lasted until Monday.

But during those campaigning days, what a hoopla it was! It was a far cry from the last local elections with conch shells and matracas (See Politicking) If I were to hazard a guess, the major political parties received huge infusions of campaign funds this year. Every partido (party) had two or three custom painted vehicles, complete with mounted sound systems to blare out the party jingle all day, every day of the campaigning period. Everybody had oodles of party labeled flags to give out as well, not to mention bags, aprons, hats, shirts, water bottles, balls and other promotional gear. Two of the partidos (parties) even had mascots. Partido Verde (The Green Party) marched about with their Toucan and PAN (National Action Party) had a Gallo (rooster) referring to the nickname of their current candidate–El Gallo.

PES was the only political party not represented in Moroleon during the 2015 mid-term elections.

PES was the only political party not represented in Moroleon during the 2015 mid-term elections.

This year the old standbys were represented. PRI, PAN, Partido Verde, PT, PRD. There were four splinter parties, Movimiento Ciudadano, Humanista, Nueva Alianza and Morena. They all offered more employment, fewer taxes, more security and less crime if only you would vote for them. (See also The Parties)

Election day had low voter turnout and plenty of funny business. Several members of PRD were caught buying votes and arrested. A half-page article appeared in the local newspaper categorically denying any vote buying activities by said family. Curiously enough, the accused are close family members of the current PRD president of Moroleon. Voters from los ranchos (small towns and villages that fall under the jurisdiction of Moroleon) have been heard to say that members of the local cartel did their own campaigning for PRD. So nobody’s surprised that PRD won the election.

That’s not to say PRI didn’t do its own vote buying. They just didn’t buy enough, this time around, coming in a measly second. The third runner-up was the candidate for the little party, Movimiento Ciudadano, which was quite a surprise. Had the elections been fair and the vote buying parties disqualified….well, that’s just too much to think about.

The neighboring town of Uriangato also had their share of shenanigans. Once the votes were counted, Partido Verde and PRI tied. The odds of that happening by chance seem astronomical to me. Partido Verde demanded a recount and were subsequently declared the winner. I’m not sure how many consecutive terms a local mayor can have, but the newly elected candidate is on his third term. Maybe, this time, he’ll be able to get board approval for the international airport he wants to build. I just bet he knows the perfect place for it and would be able to give the airport a good price….wink, wink. I can just imagine the posh visitors from Milan or London stepping off the plane to…..

ELOOTEES— ESQUIIIIITES

Nationally, PRI was the clear winner in the majority of local elections. Hmmm, could it be that the current PRI president, Peña Nieto, had a hand in that? Or perhaps it was the dispensa (gift) pictured below distributed to many municipalities?

This is the dispensa, give away, from PRI in Teocaltiche, Jalisco during the 2015 mid-term elections.

This is the dispensa, give away, from PRI in Teocaltiche, Jalisco during the 2015 mid-term elections.

Some candidates were taken out before election day. Also during the bloody election period, at least 7 candidates were murdered and another 20 dropped out due to death threats, in attempts to control the outcome of the elections. One of those candidates, Enrique Hernandez, was elected posthumously in Yurecuaro, Michoacan, confirming the fact that the only good politician is a dead politician.

Other areas opted out of the election process altogether. In Oaxaca and Guerrero, protesters burned ballots and refused to allow the elections to proceed. The military was sent in to restore order and killed yet another future teacher of Ayotzinapa. Thousands attended his funeral.

The government sent out the heavy artillery for this election. They could not allow the type of demonstrations that have characterized Mexico during the past 10 months to interfere with the electoral process. Such disruptions are breeding grounds for anarchy, chaos…or dare I say it…freedom? It just wouldn’t do for the people to call for self-rule… It just wouldn’t do at all.  (See As more Violations come to Light, US praises Mexican elections)

*****************************

disclosure

3 Comments

Filed under Politics

Tagged as , , , , , ,