A bad grade in “behavior” – and Italian children will soon be left behind, no matter how good they are otherwise. The law comes from Mussolini.
Discipline and order in Italy’s schools: Italy is reintroducing an old Mussolini law that places children and young people under strict control. Anyone who attracts attention through disobedience can remain seated – regardless of what their grades are in other subjects.
“We want to bring the culture of respect back into schools,” said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, formerly an open fascist who now strives to appear as civil as possible, in advance. Parliament has now approved the right-wing government’s law and it is in force.
The fascist dictator Benito Mussolini first introduced a similar regulation in 1924. Meloni has now brought out the dreaded behavior notes again. From now on, anyone who scores less than six behavior points in middle and high school on a scale of one to ten is out and has to repeat the year. Anyone who achieves exactly six points has to write a penal assignment in order to be transferred.
As an additional means of pressure, the new law provides for hefty fines for students who physically attack teachers. In addition to criminal consequences, they now face fines of up to 10,000 euros.
The Italian opposition criticized the law. An authoritarian culture of sanctions does not help in any way to improve the atmosphere in schools. The government’s law lacks any pedagogical strategy.
Rather, it must be about increasing young people’s appreciation and respect for others, said Irene Manzi, education politician for the Democratic Party (Partito Democratico, PD). “For the benefit of those who were born and raised in a difficult environment,” schools must be provided with more resources in order to be able to do this, the politician said.
