SportInFiera: Middle School teachers defend decision to involve only first-year classes, “our autonomy must be respected”
The Teaching Board revisits the controversy over the event, calling on institutions and public bodies to recognise the school’s expertise in educational decisions
The Teaching Board of the Middle School (Collegio dei Docenti) has revisited its decision to have only first-year students take part in SportInFiera. In a document dedicated to the value of educational autonomy, the teachers explain that the choice followed internal discussion and was made within the Board’s remit. They also take issue with the atmosphere that, in their view, has surrounded the matter.
The teachers first clarify the timeline of communications: the decision to involve only first-year classes was reported on 8 June to the School Council, made up of family representatives, and on 12 June to the CONS (National Olympic Committee), via a letter from the school’s management. “The Teaching Board reiterates that this choice was the result of a democratic discussion and a synthesis of a range of positions,” the document states.
The point raised by the teachers goes beyond the single event. The Board notes that in recent years, teachers have been asked to instruct, educate and include, but also to manage complex situations, engage with families, use new technologies and deal with social and relational emergencies. These responsibilities, it argues, are not always matched by adequate recognition of professional autonomy, a principle also enshrined in Law 21/1998.
According to the Board, the decision on SportInFiera “was made within the scope of its own competencies, which have recently been called into question not only by public opinion, but by institutions themselves.” The teachers point out that their collegial body is itself part of the institutions and is based on an autonomous, democratic structure. For this reason, they believe that questioning its decisions also undermines its role.
The document recalls a letter published last year and signed by numerous teachers on the improper use of social media and online hate. The Board renews that call for reflection in light of what has happened over SportInFiera: “Certain media narratives, besides being unfair to those involved, risk turning into distorted portrayals of other people’s work.” The teachers are also concerned about the message this could send to students regarding respect for differing opinions.
The Board acknowledges that its decisions can be open to discussion. “Since no decision is infallible in itself, criticism and dissent are acceptable, provided that roles, competencies and, above all, people are respected,” the teachers write. They add, however, that they note “with bitterness” that institutions and public bodies too have recently contributed to creating “a climate of growing tension toward the teaching staff.”
Finally, the reflection touches on projects proposed to the school by bodies and institutions. According to the Board, teachers increasingly find themselves simply “carrying out” activities whose content and objectives have already been set, with little room to assess them, adapt them, or decide whether they are suitable for individual classes.
“The professional autonomy of the individual teacher and of the collegial body is not a professional privilege, as it is unfortunately sometimes perceived, but rather a value and an essential requirement for carrying out the profession properly,” the Teaching Board of the Middle School concludes.
