Education links memory and terrorism in a course during the repeal of the Democratic Memory Law
The teachers consulted expressed surprise at the proposal of an activity on terrorism while the regulations recognizing the victims of Francoism are being questioned.
PalmThe Department of Education – through the Continuing Teacher Training Service and in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Memorial Center for Victims of Terrorism – has offered teachers in the Balearic Islands an activity entitled When educating means protecting. Teacher training workshops: Memory and terrorism preventionwhich will take place on March 13 and 14. The announcement comes amidst the controversy surrounding the repeal of the Democratic Memory Law, promoted by the PP and Vox parties. This government action disconnects the concept of 'memory' from Francoist repression and the recognition of the victims of fascism.
According to the course program, the first day includes the presentation Terrorism in Spain: History and PresentLed by Florencio Domínguez, director of the Memorial Center for Victims of Terrorism, the session offers an overview of the phenomenon of terrorism in Spain, from a historical perspective to the present day. The training also includes content geared towards classroom application. In this regard, pedagogical units and resources for addressing terrorism with students will be presented, along with testimonies from victims. The second day includes sessions on preventing radicalization in educational contexts and a presentation entitled Teachers' commitment to combating terrorism, among other content.
Confusion among teachers
The timing of the training program and the debate surrounding the repeal of the Democratic Memory Law has surprised teachers consulted by ARA Baleares. "I'm blown away by the new training the Ministry is offering teachers," says a teacher from a school in the rural areas of Mallorca. "It's a disgrace. But the state terrorism committed by Franco against the losers of the war... that doesn't exist," explains a history teacher from a high school in Menorca.
The Democratic Memory Law, passed in the last legislature, regulates measures for recognition and reparation for the victims of the Civil War and the Francoist dictatorship, as well as actions regarding the removal of symbols. This law will be repealed in a matter of weeks, under the agreement between the PP and Vox, who on Tuesday rejected the left's amendments against its elimination.
The training program makes no explicit reference to historical memory related to the Civil War and the Franco regime; instead, the content focuses on terrorism in Spain and its prevention in the educational sphere. The proposal is part of the regular offering of courses for teachers. The registration period for the course is... Memory and prevention of terrorism It remains open as the debate on the repeal of the democratic memory regulations continues its final stage in Parliament.