Tensions Rise at Augusto D’hálmar High School in Ñuñoa as Students Warn of Possible Sanctions Amid Kast’s Upcoming Visit

Original article: Tensión en Liceo Augusto D’halmar de Ñuñoa por anuncio de visita de Kast: Estudiantes advirtieron «posibles sanciones» ante «cualquier tipo de manifestación»

An atmosphere of tension has emerged at the Augusto D’hálmar municipal high school in Ñuñoa, following the announcement of President-elect José Antonio Kast’s visit, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, right after the transfer of power ceremony in Valparaíso.

The alarms were raised when the Student Center (CEE) released a statement regarding Kast’s visit, warning of potential sanctions from the administration for «any type of manifestation or disruption of the normal school day.»

In their statement, the Student Center called on the entire school community to maintain an environment of respect, tranquility, and healthy coexistence, urging students not to mobilize in any manner.

They acknowledged that «there may be diverse opinions and positions regarding such visits, and we will always support these different views. However, it is crucial to remember that any type of manifestation or disruption of the normal school day could lead to sanctions from the school’s administration,» the statement added.

Among the mentioned sanctions, the Student Center pointed out those «established in the internal regulations,» emphasizing that as CEE, «we must be transparent in stating that in situations like this, our ability to intervene or defend students against these actions is very limited, so any manifestation will be the individual’s responsibility.»

The communication immediately sparked various reactions. On the CEE’s social media, where it was shared, many students and parents questioned the statement, recalling that the right to peaceful protest is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, making it inappropriate for the administration to issue threats in this regard.

Other opinions suggested that the statement highlights the pressures imposed by the school’s administration against the student movement, even stating that a student had already been put on «conditional» status for wanting to protest by putting up photos of the disappeared detainees on the school’s walls.

This latter point is particularly poignant for Augusto D’Álmar High School, which has an alumna who is a disappeared detainee: María Angélica Andreoli Bravo, whose case led to the conviction of former DINA agents Pedro Espinoza, Miguel Krassnof, and Cesar Manríquez Bravo.

We will continue to provide updates.