PP and Vox made it clear yesterday that they “respect” but do not share the harsh assessments that the academic world (the AVL and the University of Valencia) make about the educational freedom law that both government partners promote in the Valencian Parliament. “When these things happen, they are part of the debate,” explained spokesperson Juanfran Pérez Llorca, who assured that these types of assessments are part of the debate (there are also those in favor of the law) and that his group respects them all, “although many opinions are not shared.”
Along the same lines, Julia Llopis (from Vox) assured that her group pays attention to “the reports”, but defended that this law has been worked on extensively with different groups and is not the result of improvisation. Llopis stressed that the previous Botànic regulations “were submitted to parents without consulting anyone.”
However, both leaders admitted the possibility of registering amendments (the deadline for presenting them ends on Monday the 20th), although not precisely along the lines set by either the University or the AVL. The PP did not want to clarify what changes it will promote, beyond admitting that they would not go in the direction demanded by the academic world, while Vox did acknowledge that it is considering the possibility of adopting some of the proposals of a confederation of parents (two of them spoke in commission about the law) of some entity in Vega Baja and the platform Hablamos Español to introduce them into the debate.
This entity presented a Popular Legislative Initiative that was rejected by the PP but had the support of Vox in favor of the Castilianization of the educational system.
Among the proposals that Vox is considering putting on the table is the possibility of also extending to Primary (the bill only provides for it in ESO and Baccalaureate) the right to take exams and evaluation tests for any non-linguistic subject in the student’s language of choice. The training of Santiago Abascal also raises the option that the area of knowledge of the environment can be given in the base language.
All this while the opposition criticizes that the PP and Vox turn a deaf ear to the considerations of the academic world. In fact, PSPV and Compromís reiterated yesterday their willingness to take this rule to the courts because they understand that it violates the rights of Valencian speakers. “They will have us in front of them,” summarized Joan Baldoví (Compromís).
The report approved by the UV governing council indicates that the legislative proposal of the Valencian government partners is “unnecessary, discriminatory and recessive” that “constitutes a clear setback for plurilingual education.” While the University considers that “the norm in practice corners Valencian speakers, who will not be able to assert their rights.” The AVL adds that “instead of promoting Valencian, it favors Spanish.”
An argument that yesterday the deputy spokesperson of the PP tried to dismantle. Pérez Llorca pointed out that during the Botànic government the use of Valencian has decreased – “they are facts, not opinions,” he stressed – and that his legislative proposal is precisely aimed at “improving the use of Valencian.” For Congresswoman Llopis, from Vox, her rule “does not want to step on any language.”