Editors' Scuolinfanzia "-Forlì
The agreement with the Municipality of Forlì privately run nurseries in the city is discussing, is supported, it has also generated gibberish. In short, heated battles reviving the spirits of the past, with the emergence of old fences, almost a return to the Guelphs and Ghibellines
But in Forlì is not in play the relation between public school and private school, report that there has good health, nor the fact that the Town Hall coffers - despite a difficult period - superannuation contributions to private educational services for children (in this case the nests for children from 0 to 3 years, but also between the kindergarten 3 to 6 years). 'S understandable that anyone who performs a function as a public utility may have public support "in remission"-as it was once - that the spending authority public should bear to deliver the same service, sometimes with a higher cost (but we'll see why).
A classic example of subsidiarity. The question, however, is another and respect the rules and principles to be observed to aspire to perform a public function.
The thesis of "liberal" is that there is no need for too many rules to be shared with the local authority, but that every school (or schools) can operate in total autonomy (self-sufficiency?), In accordance with the principle of respect for freedom of their identity, against the bonds and snares of some old-statism (the critics seem to hear Obama's reform on public health). Thus, schools with their own specific educational program, their rules of access and subscription (not a public list), recruitment of teachers ...
discretion in law is not a wrinkle: If school is free, is free to the end. Both are citizens and parents to assess its quality and to choose according to their beliefs and educational ideas. Right. With but few if any with. If all citizens to adopt this attitude of basic public services (education, health, transport, security, assistance, etc..) Would be a great risk of losing any sense of "common good" of public buildings, common areas for meeting and comparison, as in the case of school and education services.
If each group of religious, ethnic, cultural, social, territorial, prefer to resort to a school in his own image and size, the reasons and the drive to create something together, the idea of \u200b\u200ba common future, of solidarity and integration, would be seriously compromised. Not impossible, but certainly more difficult.
We can not imagine a common good as a simple "summation" of so many particular identities. A belief that led to the rise of public schools with Condorcet (more than 200 years ago, after the Enlightenment and post-liberal democratic revolutions). But we will not pursue old ideologies.
then off again by our Constitution, which is perhaps the best fruit of a brave encounter of cultures, ideals, faith-based and secular, all capable of building a new public discourse, a narrative for a new story to be built. But there it is said that "... the Republic establishes state schools for all orders and degrees" (Article 33). Also broken down by Law 62/2000 (Prodi-Berlinguer) on educational parity between state and non-state (equality of rights but also duties). In this law-not-shared by all the recognition of a public function of private accompanies the request, assessment and verification of specific requirements, rules, transparency, while respecting their identity, but it can not crack the common reference to constitutional values \u200b\u200band especially the principle of a school open to all "(art. 34).
Now, in this case the situation observed in Forlì, it seems that these principles are not fully respected. We refer to two different segments of the services for children: the nests (0-3 years) and kindergarten (3-6 years).
In the first case the question of "nests" is still strong and there are waiting lists, although a service fee of Forlì much larger than the average not only Italian, but the Emilia-Romagna region and Europe. Certainly the impetus of the City (cover over 2 / 3 of users), but also more recent intervention of the private sector (usually non-profit). The latter also supported by agreements with the City. Would it be fair that the entire public-private system that moved in an integrated logic, for example by defining common criteria (and why not, a ranking coordinate) for the reception of children from 0 to 3 years, from real situations social and educational needs. A place to nest, in many cases, it means job opportunities for mothers and fathers, relief to income enhancement opportunities and social integration. But no, the final agreement signed, places "special agreements" entitled only to those applicants specific private structures, regardless of rankings, needs, needs. So spend public funds with the risk of not meeting the requirements, publicly assessed real needs of citizens. The private nursery or private school, in fact, receives on the basis of membership in an educational project [1] . So there is an obvious problem of freedom and "fairness." [2]
In the second case (3-6 years) the request correspond to the services offered, with some difficulty, having regard to the recent withdrawal of the state towards the expansion of a service that is now universal (but is still regarded by the law optional). In Forlì, the State, the Municipality, the private network of schools provide a sound quality that brings honor to the city. Also in this area are planned conventions and public funds to the private system. Nothing to complain, even if the coffers of state-schools are crying poverty for years and would countervailing duty action of the local (as well as a less greedy ...). But there is something wrong. It 'difficult cooordinare supply and demand: everyone does for himself. Only the City of Forli, which has the highest number of questions and then to channel it to other operators, establish a ranking that combines city's public appreciation of the need Social and first choice of school. Individual private schools and individual public schools, however, collect the parents' questions on his own: a "DIY", which causes effects which are no longer controllable: schools that do not even open enrollments (because, you know, there are places booked for years ...) and schools that meet more than 70% of foreign children (perhaps from both sides of the same road ...). But then, "the school open to all"? The encounter between cultures? Social dialogue at the door of the school? Values \u200b\u200bthat give strength to a community. Think of selfless shop or ruling, in fact, ideological.
From "Suolinfanzia / Cidi" No 2, April 2010.
[1] The criteria for admission to the private nest convention, says the local press refers to the earlier to those who "have a brother or sister who already attends the school, the children of parents with particularly difficult or those who work or are volunteers in the institutions managing the nest, then you take into account the catchment area and history in presenting the request. "
[2] It is no coincidence that for the parallel story of the "voucher", that government grants to attend a private nursery, the Emilia-Romagna required to pass through a single list managed by a public notice of Common.
