Miquel Roldán's medical leave allows Son Sardina students to return to the classroom.

PalmAfter nine days of strikes, the families of the Maria Antònia Salvà Primary School have decided to suspend their protest and allow their children to return to classrooms and start the school year, as announced at a press conference on Monday. The change in strategy came after it was confirmed that Miquel Roldán, a teacher at the school convicted of child abuse, has received medical leave from his family doctor. Years ago, according to the families, the teacher had problems with former students of the school, whom he would visit at the Son Pacs Secondary School and even enrolled in a vocational training program to coincide with them during break time. The intervention of the school's management team prevented this.

The spokesperson for the CEIP's Family Association (AFA), Biel Cardona, stated that "today, the children will be safe at school." "Returning to school is a first, provisional step. We understand that with the decision we've made and with those we're trying to find, we'll achieve a definitive one. We've received some information that gives us some peace of mind, since Roldán isn't expected to return to the classroom in the immediate future," he explained. Cardona said the convicted teacher wrote to the Family Association's email to try to get in touch, but was referred to the law firm handling the case.

For her part, the families' lawyer, Carmen López, asserted that Roldán's dismissal "is not the solution, but it is a turning point." She explained that there are records of letters from other schools in which they expressed problems between the teacher and the students. "A situation that has been occurring for several years requires a solution from the Regional Ministry," the lawyer demanded. The families' decision was not only due to the harassment sentence against Roldán, but also due to events that occurred years ago with students from Maria Antònia Salvà who were enrolled in secondary school at Son Pacs. "The priority now is the children, so they can return to normal life. Recognition must also be given to the rest of the school's teachers and the management team who have been immersed in an atypical situation," the lawyer stated. "In the meantime, we will continue the judicial process until we have a final solution," she concluded.

As ARA Baleares has announced, Roldán's resignation was processed this Monday, the same day that the Joint Committee – a body made up of union and administration representatives – has authorized him to undergo a medical evaluation to determine whether he is fit to work in an educational setting with minors. Even so, the medical examination will not be mandatory. He can refuse, but if he does, the Education Inspectorate will intervene, which could open a disciplinary case or indicate precautionary measures.

While Roldán is on sick leave, his medical situation depends on Social Security, so the Occupational Risk Service of the Ministry of Education will not have the authority to require him to appear. His evaluation has been suspended indefinitely.

The evaluation procedure

Once you return from sick leave, you will be formally requested to appear for evaluation. If you accept, Testing will include routine questionnaires about general health, voice status, and mental load. The initial results may determine the need for further testing. You will also be asked to provide any prior medical reports related to your mental health. Otherwise, the case will be referred to the specialized service with which the Education Department has an agreement at the Miramar Polyclinic. Based on the results obtained, the Occupational Risk Prevention Service will prepare a report with the relevant recommendations.

In recent days, more than 100 family associations and hundreds of teachers in Mallorca have publicly shown their support for the families of the Maria Antonia Salvá Primary School in Son Sardina, who have denounced the teacher's return to the school. This support has been articulated through their adherence to the manifesto promoted by FAPA Mallorca, which demands that the Ministry of Education and the relevant authorities immediately remove the teacher from any school with minors, as well as implement legal reforms to ensure that individuals convicted of child harassment cannot teach.

This year's case at Maria Antònia Salvà Primary School is not an isolated one. Last year, Miquel Roldán had already been assigned to Gabriel Janer Manila Primary School in Pla de na Tesa, the same school where he had taught the victim in the case for which he was tried and convicted. This recurrence has generated growing alarm in the educational community, especially due to the lack of legal mechanisms to prevent people convicted of these types of crimes from continuing to teach.