The PP removes Ramon Llull from Catalan curriculums in the Valencian Community: "It's like removing Miguel de Cervantes in Madrid"

PalmThe Valencian regional government's decision to modify the Baccalaureate language and literature curriculum has sparked a heated debate. The draft, which will be discussed at the Sectoral Education Committee, eliminates references to 'Catalan literature' that appeared in the 2022 decree. Instead, it stipulates that readings must be "from Valencian literature and the main Valencian authors" across different periods and movements. In practice, this means excluding Catalan and Balearic authors, including Ramon Llull and Miquel Costa i Llobera, among others. The Valencian Teachers' Union (STEPV) asserts that the document "confirms the elimination of non-Valencian authors" and denounces the fact that, from now on, "only Valencian authors can be studied." The union representatives believe this limitation is based on a "strictly geographical" criterion and warn that "it is impossible to understand Valencian literature from the Middle Ages to the present day without its linguistic and cultural context, which includes Catalan and Balearic authors."

This curricular change affects key figures in Catalan literature. For example, Ramon Llull, born in Mallorca in 1232, is no longer a required reference for Valencian students. "It's as if they didn't teach about Miguel de Cervantes in Madrid," explains a Catalan teacher at a school in Alicante to illustrate the symbolic scope of the measure. Llull was one of the fathers of Catalan literature. A medieval writer and philosopher, he pioneered the use of written Catalan in an era dominated by Latin. With works such as Blanquerna And with an extensive production of philosophical and religious treatises, he consolidated Catalan as a language of thought, literary creation, and the transmission of knowledge. He also wrote in Latin and Arabic, with the aim of building bridges between cultures. His legacy has earned him sustained international recognition throughout the centuries.

From the Balearic Islands, the STEI union has reacted strongly and shown its support for the STEPV union. In a statement, the union attacks the Valencian government's decision: "We will not allow the hatred of the far right to further damage Catalan literature and language." The union recalls statements made to Eliseu Climent: "The Catalan problem cannot reach Alicante. Catalanism is a cancer that must be eradicated," and criticizes that "the piecemeal eradication has consisted first of turning Alicante, with the help of Vox, into a Spanish-speaking area, and rejecting the authors of Valencian Literature."

STEI rejects the reductionist nature of the proposal and believes it violates students' rights. It states that preventing students from learning about Catalan and Balearic authors marginalizes a shared vision of language and literature. The union expresses its support "for our colleagues at STEPV, Escola Valenciana, and all teachers in the Valencian Community who are working towards the normalization of the language in a very complex socio-political context."

Petition for signatures

The Platform for the Language has also spoken out against the measure, launching the campaign 'No to Censorship in Literature'. The organization has begun collecting signatures and warns that "if a young person is prevented from learning about a crucial part of literature in their own language, a window to the world is being closed to them, and they are being deprived of the tools to understand and question it." They assert that censorship "impoverishes students' cultural background, severs shared points of reference, and breaks down bridges with other regions that speak the same language." The Platform emphasizes that "language is shared; literature is too," and urges schools and teachers to continue promoting Catalan and Balearic authors, despite the curriculum changes.

STEPV has announced that it will study actions to prevent the publication of the new curriculum as currently drafted and has encouraged teachers to "ignore" the decree if it is approved. The union has also called for protests, including an education strike on March 31. According to the union, the measure is part of "the offensive against Valencian that the PP government is carrying out under the dictates of Vox" and aims to marginalize the comprehensive view of the language and literature that until now has included authors from across the Catalan-speaking world.

"Open" approach

The Valencian Regional Ministry of Education maintains that the regional government is "promoting the adaptation" of the curriculum to "align it with the Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy, reinforcing the statutory designation of the Valencian language." They assert that the new text prioritizes Valencian literary heritage with an "open" approach that does not limit schools' choice of works. However, some teachers and members of the educational community warn that excluding figures like Ramon Llull deprives students of a fundamental element for understanding the origin and evolution of Catalan literature.