Chile on strike
September 20, 2011 9:42 AM Subscribe
The ongoing student demonstrations in Chile began as a protest over the costs, profits, and fairness of higher education there. They have since attracted other segments of Chilean society venting frustration over wages, health care, and other issues. Uniting the protesters is common dissatisfaction with hugely unpopular President Sebastian Pinera and social inequality...
In any case, I think this is interesting, and I hadn't heard of it.
posted by Anything at 10:52 AM on September 20, 2011
posted by Anything at 10:52 AM on September 20, 2011
They have since attracted other segments of Chilean society
This is sort of misleading; how do we know whether or not the photographed persons are students? I think the bigpicture link would be a worthwhile part of a larger post but on its own lacks context.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:54 AM on September 20, 2011
This is sort of misleading; how do we know whether or not the photographed persons are students? I think the bigpicture link would be a worthwhile part of a larger post but on its own lacks context.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:54 AM on September 20, 2011
Students run from mounted riot policemen during a rally in Santiago...
Eh, running, petting a horse, same thing.
posted by NoMich at 10:55 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Eh, running, petting a horse, same thing.
posted by NoMich at 10:55 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Some folks I know have been travelling in South America, and visited some of the occupied schools. Here's some of their photo galleries.
Universidad de Chile
A protest march, including videos of dancing protestors in tutus
High school #1
High school #2
posted by zamboni at 12:20 PM on September 20, 2011
Universidad de Chile
A protest march, including videos of dancing protestors in tutus
High school #1
High school #2
posted by zamboni at 12:20 PM on September 20, 2011
OK, *now* it's a protest.
The positioning of the mooning relative to the paint stains is delightful.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:59 PM on September 20, 2011
The positioning of the mooning relative to the paint stains is delightful.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:59 PM on September 20, 2011
Don't forget Commander Camila. (Also in picture #31 of the FPP)
posted by chavenet at 2:07 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by chavenet at 2:07 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Aw man, this an awful post for what has been the issue of 2011 here in Chile.
The TL;DR is that no one (neither the goverment nor the students) wants to give up so there's a lot of schools and colleges in strike and there's a big risk of losing the school year (although the MINEDUC is doing everything they can to avoid it by moving students from schools in strike to those still working, free exams, etc.)
Wikipedia has a lot more info if you're interested. ILoveChile is also covering it.
posted by Memo at 2:12 PM on September 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
The TL;DR is that no one (neither the goverment nor the students) wants to give up so there's a lot of schools and colleges in strike and there's a big risk of losing the school year (although the MINEDUC is doing everything they can to avoid it by moving students from schools in strike to those still working, free exams, etc.)
Wikipedia has a lot more info if you're interested. ILoveChile is also covering it.
posted by Memo at 2:12 PM on September 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
Yeah, weak post for a powerful issue.
FWIW, the main issue is this:
Pinochet reformed education in Chile with 2 main effects:
1) Public K12 education was transferred from the government to local municipalities. Effect: poorer municipalities, where the poorer people live, have crappier public schools. Like toilets overflowing, broken windows crappy.
2) The floodgates where opened for basically anybody with a bit of capital to set up a "University", needing little more than an old house and some blackboards. Private universities are nominally non-profit, but in truth use a series of fronts and scams to be very-much-for-profit-indeed. Poor people, who went to school in poor municipalities, can't get into highly selective traditional universities, so end up getting into non-selective crap U's, in hock for 5 or 6 years of tuition, and with degrees that basically qualify you for department store salesperson or taxi driver. Some of the universities even offer their own credit schemes, thereby increasing their profits.
The previous government coalition, the Concertacion, nominally leftist, did shit-all in 20 years to change this. Now that the right is in power, the middle class decided to stop bending over to take it up the ass. Over 70% of the population supports the protests, strikes, etc.
It's basically a class issue, the middle class revolting against their masters.
posted by signal at 4:34 PM on September 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
FWIW, the main issue is this:
Pinochet reformed education in Chile with 2 main effects:
1) Public K12 education was transferred from the government to local municipalities. Effect: poorer municipalities, where the poorer people live, have crappier public schools. Like toilets overflowing, broken windows crappy.
2) The floodgates where opened for basically anybody with a bit of capital to set up a "University", needing little more than an old house and some blackboards. Private universities are nominally non-profit, but in truth use a series of fronts and scams to be very-much-for-profit-indeed. Poor people, who went to school in poor municipalities, can't get into highly selective traditional universities, so end up getting into non-selective crap U's, in hock for 5 or 6 years of tuition, and with degrees that basically qualify you for department store salesperson or taxi driver. Some of the universities even offer their own credit schemes, thereby increasing their profits.
The previous government coalition, the Concertacion, nominally leftist, did shit-all in 20 years to change this. Now that the right is in power, the middle class decided to stop bending over to take it up the ass. Over 70% of the population supports the protests, strikes, etc.
It's basically a class issue, the middle class revolting against their masters.
posted by signal at 4:34 PM on September 20, 2011 [4 favorites]
I would love to be there with them. Chile is a fantastic place. The people are unbowed after 20 years of Pinochet? Those are some awesome people. I can't wait to go back.
posted by zomg at 9:31 PM on September 20, 2011
posted by zomg at 9:31 PM on September 20, 2011
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posted by falameufilho at 10:01 AM on September 20, 2011