A controversial government proposal
to create special classes for immigrant children instead of allowing them to
enter directly into Italian schools won approval in the House on Tuesday
evening. The measure, proposed by the Northern League and passed by
265 votes to 246, would require foreign children to pass a specially designed
entrance test before being admitted to schools. While those who
passed would be able to join ‘normal’ classes, children who failed would be
placed in so-called ‘bridge’ classes, where they would follow Italian language,
law and citizenship courses as well as a basic curriculum until they could pass
the test.
The measure would also require schools to ensure a
”proportionate” distribution of foreign students in normal school classes
”to facilitate full integration and prevent the risk of forming classes of
foreign pupils alone”. ”The spirit of the measure voted yesterday
is to guarantee equal opportunities to foreign students and facilitate
integration,” said League House whip Roberto Cota. ”We want
a society in which people who arrive here have full rights, but respect our law
and learn our language and our rules”.
But the motion came under
fire from opposition politicians, with Democratic Party senator Vincenzo Vita
describing it as ”an act of the worst xenophobia”. ”How is
it possible to vote for such a text? It takes us back to the racism and hatred
towards diversity that existed three centuries ago. This is a black page (in
parliament’s history) that must be withdrawn immediately”.
Italy of Values House whip Pierfelice Zazzera said rather than moving towards
integration the measure ”creates other walls, divides, excludes and
segregates”.
”Today we create separate classes for foreign
pupils, tomorrow for the disabled, the day after for homosexuals, and then
separate classes for political affiliations,” he said. The
motion also drew concern from two members of Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s People
of Freedom Party. Alessandra Mussolini, who heads the Parliamentary
Children’s Committee, and fellow MP Souad Sbai said they ”felt the duty to ask
for an urgent meeting” with Education Minister Maria Stella
Gelmini.
”While we are aware of the problems of language and
cultural diversity when introducing foreign students into schools, we maintain
that the exchange of knowledge is fundamental for real integration,” they
said. Separate bridge classes ”would risk transforming susceptible
students into socially unequal citizens,” they added. Cota hit
back at criticism, saying that ”people who maintain there is any wish to
discriminate either haven’t read the text or are acting in bad
faith”.
The measure will have to be passed by the Senate before
coming into effect. According to the Italian Association of Italian
Municipal Councils (ANCI), there are currently 690,000 foreign students from 190
different countries in Italian schools. Earlier this year the
government pledged to ensure that minors in the country’s Roma gypsy camps were
sent to school.