On Monday, Child Ombudsman Anuar Quesille expressed his opposition to the "Protected Schools" bill before the Chamber of Deputies' Education Committee. The initiative, promoted by the José Antonio Kast administration, is currently being debated under an expedited legislative process.
The lawyer acknowledged the severity of the situation within schools. "The violence occurring in educational settings is serious and demands a decisive response from the State," Quesille stated during his testimony.
However, the Ombudsman warned that state actions must meet certain standards. He emphasized that the response must be "effective, proportionate, and, furthermore, compatible with the rights of children and adolescents."
Quesille criticized the bill's design for its heavy focus on surveillance. According to his analysis, the project focuses primarily on monitoring, inspections, sanctions, and police intervention.
The Ombudsman noted that the proposal fails to give equal weight to prevention, psychosocial support, school coexistence, or mental health measures.
Inspection and Sanction Measures
The legislative package aims to curb violent incidents, such as assaults on teachers and the use of Molotov cocktails on school grounds. Among its most controversial points are backpack searches and dress code enforcement by law enforcement.
The law also includes the immediate expulsion of students who disrupt classes. One of the most drastic sanctions proposes the loss of tuition-free education for both school and university students who receive criminal convictions for violent acts.
Government Spokesperson Mara Sedini defended the urgency of passing the law, arguing that the lack of security is impacting the academic future of the student population. "Young people, especially the most vulnerable in our country, are losing opportunities to study," the minister stated.
Meanwhile, Deputy Emilia Schneider (Frente Amplio) criticized the lack of technical support in the proposal. The lawmaker questioned the risk teachers would face when conducting weapon inspections. "Are we going to ask them to risk their lives without any kind of training?" the deputy asked during the session.
On the other side, Deputy Ricardo Neumann (UDI) urged the approval of the legislation. The lawmaker accused the opposition of trying to obstruct the legislative process for political reasons. "They are trying to stall the process simply because the bill belongs to the Government," Neumann stated.
The Education Committee is scheduled to send the bill forward for a vote in the Chamber of Deputies this Wednesday.
