Call for Resignation of Valparaíso Education Secretary After Late Class Suspension Due to Heavy Rain

Original article: Piden renuncia de Seremi de Educación en Valparaíso: Avisó suspensión de clases por lluvias a solo minutos del inicio de la jornada escolar

Frustration is mounting among hundreds of families in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar following the Ministry of Education’s announcement on Tuesday, July 21, to suspend classes due to rain at 7:30 a.m., just minutes before the school day was set to begin. Many teachers and students had already arrived at their schools by that time.

Criticism had begun the night before (Monday, July 20), when the Ministry of Education only announced class suspensions in the provinces of Petorca and Marga Marga, despite weather forecasts warning that the coastal area would also experience heavy rainfall accompanied by wind and thunderstorms on Tuesday.

The weather alert proved accurate, and after a night of intense rain and thunder, government authorities were forced to «reconsider» their decision. Many believe this reflects the lack of preparation with which they have approached this emergency.

From Congress, Deputy Francisca Bello (FA) directly pointed to the responsibility of Valparaíso’s Education Secretary, Juan Carlos Klenner, stating that he «did not rise to the occasion during this regional emergency and must take political responsibility by resigning.»

«Hundreds of families had to reorganize on the fly, leaving their jobs or desperately seeking someone to pick up and care for their children. Not everyone has support networks or employers who can accommodate changes in their schedules. The government cannot act as if an emergency can be solved with a single phone call,» the legislator questioned.

«This was not just a communication issue. It was an irresponsible decision that affected the safety and daily lives of thousands of families,» added Deputy Bello, who described the situation as «a concerning improvisation by President José A. Kast’s government and a complete lack of understanding of the childcare crisis, whose costs predominantly fall on women.»

Meanwhile, the Association of General Parents, Mothers, and Guardians of Public Education in Valparaíso issued a statement expressing their dissatisfaction with how the authority managed the class suspension.

«The relevant information was known the day before. The meteorological forecasts warned that Tuesday would be one of the most challenging days of the weather front,» they stated in their announcement.

«Our city had already been struck by several days of intense rain; many families had been without electricity for five days; there were landslides in various hills, damaged streets, connectivity issues, and entire neighborhoods affected by the rainfall. That was the reality our communities were facing and should have been taken into account when making decisions,» added the parents’ organization.

«If that information was already available, the class suspension should have been resolved much earlier. It was unreasonable to keep thousands of families waiting until the last minute to find out whether they needed to send their children to school or not,» they emphasized.

«We demand that the authority publicly explains why, in light of all this information and forecasts anticipating a particularly complicated day, they decided to keep classes until the last moment only to suspend them later. The educational community deserves to know what criteria were used to make a decision that created uncertainty and disorganization in thousands of households,» they asserted.

Finally, the Civil Society Council (Cosoc) of the Local Public Education Service of Valparaíso also issued a statement questioning the government’s authority’s management in this matter.

«Decisions to suspend classes must be communicated well in advance, ideally before 6:00 a.m., to avoid unnecessary travel for families and workers while ensuring respect and care for our educational communities,» emphasized the Valparaíso Cosoc.