Reform Chile's Education System!
Police arrested a total of 874 young people during massive student protests in Santiago, Chile and neighboring cities on August 4. Mounted troops knocked people aside, fired water cannons, and sprayed tear gas into the crowds.
Chile's high schools and colleges have been embroiled in protests for weeks now. Holding flash dances, "kiss-a-thons," and hunger strikes, students are calling for the government to more adequately fund the public school system, which would increase grants and lower interest rates on student loans. Additionally, they wish to safeguard the right to a quality education in the constitution.
Sign this petition to pressure President Sebastian Pinera to ensure his nation's continued prominence in the international community by reforming education in response to student demands.
Dear President Pinera,
Having a prestigious, well-funded public education system is the hallmark of a developed nation, capable of reaping rewards far into the future. Education is what lifts individuals out of poverty and what catapults nations into power and influence. If there is anything to prioritize in Chile right now, it's education.
Recent student protests have revealed just how much is flawed in the educational system. Despite your administration's attempts to meet student demands, it is clear that there is still much further to go. The reforms students are calling for are considered standard in other developed nations, and it would be wise to meet their demands in their entirety and refrain from further heavy-handed treatment responses to massive protests.
This is a pivotal moment in history which will set the course of Chile's future. For the sake of all Chileans, we respectfully urge you to ensure your nation's continued prominence in the international community by reforming education in response to student demands.
Sincerely,
[your name here]
