Milan, February 9 – Parini Classical High School in Milan was occupied by students on Monday morning, becoming the seventh school in the city to experience such a protest since the beginning of the academic year. The action, led by the Rebelde collective with the support of the Student Union, involved dozens of students blocking entrances and displaying a banner reading “Il Parini grida ancora” (Parini still cries out).
Students Protest Government Policies and School Issues
The occupation was characterized by chants against fascism and songs supporting the Palestinian cause. Around 8:00 AM, organizers invited fellow students to gather in the courtyard for an assembly to officially sanction the occupation. “Five hundred people are already in favor,” they stated. Hundreds of students and even teachers waited outside for the situation to unfold, while some students decided to return home.
This marks the seventh school occupation in Milan this academic year, following similar protests at Manzoni (a brief, one-day occupation), Cremona-Zappa, Virgilio, Berchet, Agnesi, and Bottoni high schools.
Reasons for the Protest: Political and Internal Grievances
The Rebelde collective issued a document outlining the reasons for their protest, which include both political and internal school concerns. Students voiced strong opposition to the Meloni government’s policies, specifically citing “No to the security bill and the rape bill, no to rearmament policies.”
Internally, students expressed widespread discontent and psychological distress. “We feel we are no longer the protagonists of our school and are not considered the core of the educational project. We are witnessing a shift in priorities: promoting the school’s image has become central, at the expense of the quality of the educational experience. It is important to cultivate the image of the institute, for example through open days, but it is essential to ensure solid and inclusive education within it.”
Students also highlighted disparities between different sections of the school. “In many classes, despite good preparation in some subjects, insurmountable gaps emerge in others.” To address this, they proposed a rotation of teachers among classes.
“In some classes, there are teachers who use an iron fist and seem like robots, they come in and start explaining without any dialogue. This causes anxiety in many students and the fact that they change schools,” said some fourth-year students. “The school has said it will offer new meetings with psychologists to manage anxiety, but this does not eradicate the problem.”
The collective also criticized issues with school building maintenance and the underutilization of resources such as the astronomical turret and laboratories. They also raised concerns about some school projects, including Faber Quisque, which is considered one of the school’s flagships.
“It is poorly organized, as are others. Moreover, destinations like New York and Dubai are proposed for projects such as the simulation of UN work, which are of great educational value, but characterized by high costs: it is unacceptable that economic possibilities affect learning opportunities.”
Principal’s Response and Counterarguments
Principal Massimo Nunzio Barrella stated his intention to remain at the institute throughout the occupation, even sleeping in his office, “to protect the safety of the students and the institute. But in the seven occupations I have already experienced here, no damage has ever been recorded.”
Regarding the students’ demands, Barrella said he sees “nothing original in this occupation; it is a replica of past ones.” He explained that it is common for classical high schools to have students transfer, especially in the first two years, often to humanities programs. “But Parini last year had 9 first-year classes, and this year too, in a context of a general decline in classical studies, we expect to have 7 or 8.”
He also refuted criticisms of school building maintenance, stating, “We spent over 20,000 euros between December and January, using our internal funds, to fix bathrooms and gyms, and for the safety of stairwells.”
Concerning the criticisms of the Faber Quisque program, Barrella believes there are other underlying motives. He suggested that students might prefer a shorter school week, as some classical high schools like Tito Livio and Carducci have already adopted. “Currently, we offer a double option of five or six days for the first two years, then six for the last three years. But I am ready to gauge the mood of families and students and bring a proposal for a new, more sustainable formula to the faculty board.”
Finally, Barrella dismissed accusations of “classism.” He clarified, “The trips to New York or Dubai or the archaeology camps are the culmination of the programs, but they are just an additional offering. However, the archaeology and international relations courses are completely free: the students don’t mention this.”
Source: https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_febbraio_09/milano-occupato-il-liceo-parini-e-il-settimo-in-citta-dall-inizio-dell-anno-scolastico-cori-contro-il-fascismo-e-picchetto-all-c0bd9cc8-9fa5-4c64-9359-2468c586xlk.shtml
