The National Federation of Teachers (Fenprof) condemned the recent statements by Chega leader André Ventura, who read a list of immigrant children’s names enrolled in a Lisbon school in parliament, suggesting they were given priority over Portuguese national children. This notion was later echoed by deputy Rita Matias on social media.
The largest teachers’ union denounces “hate speech and racism,” citing admission criteria laid out in law to refute the “false accusation of access privileges for immigrant children or children of immigrants.”
“Children, their names, and identities cannot be subjected to xenophobic rhetoric and comments, whether in the Assembly of the Republic or on social media. The improper disclosure of children’s names aims to fuel discrimination and a narrative inciting hatred, creating walls and barriers opposing ‘us’ to ‘them,’ validating racist and xenophobic acts and violating fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic,” states Fenprof, which has approximately 50,000 members.
In situations with insufficient vacancies, public preschool admission criteria prioritize children who turn five and four years old by December 31.
Following these cases, the law allows for admission of those turning three years old by September 15, and finally, those turning three between mid-September and December 31.
In cases where two children are of the same age, priority goes to children with specific educational needs, followed by children of minor student parents. The third priority is for children with siblings at the same educational institution.
Poorer children follow: first, those living near the school and then those with parents working in the school’s catchment area. Only then are those living in the school’s area or whose parents work in the area admitted. The priority list ends with older children, with age calculated in years, months, and days, according to the law.
Citing legislation, Fenprof emphasizes that the “accusation of access privileges for immigrant children or children of immigrants” is false and urges the Government to adhere to the Constitution by increasing preschool and nursery offerings.
Meanwhile, deputies from the Livre party have requested the parliamentary committee on Transparency and Deputies’ Status to comment on Chega deputies’ statements, urging the issuance of recommendations to ensure a responsible and dignified use of speech and function by deputies.
“The video shows a document from an unidentified school – but potentially identifiable – listing the full names of the mentioned children, which, apart from exposing them and flagrantly violating their rights, could endanger them,” argue the Livre deputies.
