Argentines Protest 'State Negligence' After School Explosion

The teaching community in Argentina announced a strike Thursday to protest the high level of government negligence, which led to an explosion at a school in Moreno, a city in the Greater Buenos Aires region and led to the death of vice principal Sandra Calamano and Ruben Rodriguez, another member of staff.

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Teachers and parents say the gas leak, which led to the explosion, was reported on six different occasions. “For over a year we have complained about the gas leak. If it happened five minutes later the children could have died,” one parent said.  

After the explosion teachers unions, social organizations, political parties, parents and members of the community marched to the local school council to demand answers from the provincial government.

The Revolutionary Communist Party tweeted "we condemn the neglect of the government that led to two avoidable deaths in School 49 of Moreno. We sympathize with the family of the deceased vice principal and assistant, with the teachers' struggle in defense of public school and demand justice together. #VidalIsResponsible." 

Social media users and other groups have accused Buenos Aires governor Maria Eugenia Vidal, of the ruling party coalition, of being responsible for the tragedy. Vidal, who is currently involved in a corruption scandal, is yet to comment on the incident.

The Federation of Teachers from Buenos Aires and the Association of Public Workers have announced a 24-hour strike to reject “state negligence” and demand an investigation to determine the cause and level of responsibility of officials should bare for what they have described as a crime.

Patricia Lezcano, a teacher, told Pagina 12 “this is the provincial government’s negligence. Moreno schools are a powder keg and nobody pays attention. We delivered the reports in La Plata, directly in the Governor’s office, we took them to the school council, we gave them to Minister Gabriel Sanchez, and they did nothing. This was going to happen.”

Sandra Calamano was an educator and activist who promoted children's right, music education and defended public schools in Argentina. The families, students, and teachers of the Orchestra and Choirs lamented the loss and reiterated “it wasn’t an accident, it is state negligence.”