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Original article: Piden renuncia de Seremi de Educación en Valparaíso: Avisó suspensión de clases por lluvias a solo minutos del inicio de la jornada escolar

Frustration is mounting among countless families in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar after the Ministry of Education announced the suspension of classes due to rain at 7:30 AM on Tuesday, July 21, moments before the school day was set to begin. Many teachers, education workers, and students had already arrived at their schools.

Criticism began the night before, when the Ministry indicated that classes would only be canceled in the Petorca and Marga Marga provinces, despite weather forecasts warning that the coastal region would also experience significant rainfall, strong winds, and thunderstorms on Tuesday.

The dire weather predictions came true, and after a night of heavy rain and thunder, government authorities were forced to «reconsider» their initial decision. Many believe this situation highlighted a lack of preparedness in managing the emergency.

From Congress, Representative Francisca Bello (FA) directly pointed to the Valparaíso Education Secretary, Juan Carlos Klenner, over this issue, stating that he «failed to meet the regional emergency and must take political responsibility by resigning.»

«Hundreds of families had to scramble at the last minute, leaving their jobs or desperately searching for someone to pick up and care for their children. Not everyone has a support network or employers willing to adjust their work hours. The government cannot act as if an emergency can be resolved with a phone call,» the legislator emphasized.

«This was not merely a communication problem. It was a reckless decision that impacted the safety and daily lives of thousands of families,» Representative Bello continued, characterizing the situation as «a troubling improvisation by President José A. Kast’s government and a complete lack of understanding of the caregiving crisis, whose costs primarily fall on women.»

In addition, the Association of General Centers of Mothers, Fathers, and Guardians of Public Education in Valparaíso issued a statement expressing their dissatisfaction regarding the management of the class suspension.

«The facts were known the day before. Weather forecasts warned that Tuesday would be one of the most challenging days of the frontal system,» they noted in the statement.

«Our city had already been battered by several days of heavy rains; many families had gone without electricity for five days; there were landslides on various hills, deteriorated streets, connectivity issues, and entire neighborhoods affected by the rainfall. This was the reality our communities faced, and it should have been considered in the decision-making process,» they added from the parent and guardian organization.

«If all this information was available, the decision to suspend classes should have been made well in advance. It was unreasonable to keep thousands of families waiting until the last minute to learn whether they needed to send their children to school,» they stressed.

«We demand that the authorities publicly explain why, with all this information and forecasts anticipating a particularly difficult day, they decided to keep classes until the last moment before canceling them. The educational community deserves to know the criteria used to make a decision that caused uncertainty and disarray in thousands of homes,» they asserted.

Finally, the Civil Society Council (Cosoc) of the Local Public Education Service of Valparaíso also issued a statement questioning the government’s management on this matter.

«Decisions to suspend classes must be communicated well in advance, ideally before 6:00 AM, to prevent families and workers from making unnecessary commutes and to ensure the respect and care our educational communities deserve,» emphasized the Cosoc.

La entrada Calls for Resignation of Valparaíso Education Secretary After Late Class Suspension Announcement Due to Rain se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.