Reactions to the agreement that will allow teachers to become civil servants without Catalan: "It's joining both sides of Vox"

PalmThe reactions in the agreement between the PP and Vox to eliminate the Catalan requirement In certain teaching positions described as "very difficult to fill," and in other public sector positions, the measure has been swift. It primarily affects areas where finding teaching staff is challenging and is presented as a way to expedite immediate hiring. According to Vox spokesperson Manuela Cañadas, the modification without language restrictions would allow these positions to be filled more quickly. Currently, it is already possible to access temporary teaching positions without Catalan, provided there are no other applicants who can demonstrate proficiency. What the PP and Vox are now proposing is access to civil service positions without having to prove competence: obtaining a permanent position.

The STEI union argues that the Catalan language requirement for teaching positions is "important," given that it is an official language and also a tool for integration and social support within the education system. However, they point out that there are already substitute teachers working without having yet met the language requirement because classroom positions need to be filled. For this reason, the union believes that the Administration should facilitate these professionals obtaining the required language skills through further training before they can access permanent positions. "The Administration has resources to help teachers meet the requirement, such as offering courses so that substitute teachers who haven't yet met it can reach the necessary level," they state. STEI also notes that this wouldn't be a new situation. In the 1980s and 90s, they explain, many teachers gave Catalan classes in schools themselves to achieve the language requirement. "It's about giving them the tools they need to succeed," the union insists. Finally, the organization rejects the notion that there is a lack of willingness among teachers. "There are no teachers with a bad attitude; many are willing to meet the requirement," the union states, pointing out that the problem is often the lack of sufficient training opportunities to achieve it. Finally, the union called the proposal "absurd" because it "falls into the trap of Vox, who are simply taking a trip back in time to pass off a Francoist ideology as something seemingly democratic."

Language as a "battlefield"

The SIAU union has also expressed concern about the ideological nature of the measure. "Vox's obsession with eliminating Catalan from education seems more ideological than pedagogical. Instead of focusing the debate on educational quality or the real needs of schools, the party insists on turning language into a political battleground, as if the mere presence of Catalan in classrooms were a problem to be eradicated," they stated. SIAU points out that the system already provides for flexibility when there are urgent needs in the case of substitute teacher processes: "The possibility of working temporarily without the language requirement exists to cover urgent needs, but the general criterion is that priority is given to teachers who do speak Catalan, because they are the ones who can guarantee a fully adapted education. This excessive measure is, in essence, a way of distorting the debate and fueling an artificial controversy on an issue that, in practice, already has mechanisms for flexibility."

For its part, UOB harshly criticized the agreement and accused Vox of using this issue for ideological purposes. According to the organization, the party "uses the eradication of Catalan whenever possible" and, in this case, does so "under the pretext of hard-to-fill positions." The union warns that the measure "opens the door to eliminating the Catalan language requirement for tenured civil servants in the Balearic Islands" and believes that the ultimate goal is "to eliminate Catalan-language schools." Furthermore, UOB criticizes the way in which Vox's parliamentary spokesperson, Manuela Cañadas, presented the proposal. According to the union, her statements "show contempt for the professionals of our region," since, as the measure has been communicated, "it implies that teachers in the Balearic Islands are not good at performing the teaching job."

Making the teaching profession attractive

The Alternativa union has also criticized the agreement. The organization is demanding "fundamental measures" to address the teacher shortage and rejects the idea that relaxing language requirements is the solution. "Enough with stopgap measures and exceptions: we need fundamental measures to attract teachers, not language cutbacks," the union stated in a press release. According to Alternativa, while Vox "continues its crusade against Catalan," Marga Prohens's government "confirms its lack of commitment to our language and its complete unwillingness to invest in public schools." The union is calling for structural changes in the education system and more resources for the sector: "Less ideology and more educational improvements."