Full support for teachers.

The struggle of Brazilian public school teachers for the recognition of their profession gained significant momentum last year with the approval of the National Education Plan (PNE), a document that includes measures such as career development plans and the equalization of average income with professionals of equivalent educational levels. And the slogan of President Dilma Rousseff's second term, "Educating Nation," demonstrates the federal government's commitment to improving the quality of public education, despite the need for adjustments to some programs the government has been implementing.

But, unfortunately, the situation of teachers in several states – especially in states governed by the PSDB party – is increasingly bleak. According to the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE), teachers in the state school systems of six states – São Paulo, Paraná, Goiás, Pará, Santa Catarina, and Sergipe – are on strike, mostly demanding compliance with the Minimum Wage Law, which establishes a 13,01% readjustment for 2015, guaranteeing teachers an initial salary of R$ 1.917,78.

In São Paulo, teachers have been on strike since March 13th. They are demanding a 75,33% salary increase, equivalent to meeting goal 17 of the National Education Plan (PNE), which establishes the equalization of teachers' average income with the average income of other professionals with the same level of education. In his typical arrogance, Governor Geraldo Alckmin not only ignored the teachers' demands but also had the audacity to claim that there is no teachers' strike in São Paulo – just as there is no water crisis or threat of water rationing in the state...

In Paraná, governed by Beto Richa of the PSDB party, we witnessed displays of police brutality against teachers that reminded us of the dark times of the military dictatorship. At least 200 people were injured as a result of the police action, which indiscriminately used tear gas, rubber bullets, and batons. On strike since April 27th, Paraná teachers are demanding, among other things, compliance with the national minimum wage, retroactive payment to January, and an 8,14% retroactive adjustment to the base date. Furthermore, they are fighting against a law, approved by the PSDB in the Assembly, that altered the pension system for public employees.

In contrast to the reactionary stance of the PSDB governments, the PT governments have been seeking dialogue to address the demands of teachers. In Minas Gerais, for example, Governor Fernando Pimentel signed an agreement on May 15th that guaranteed a 31,78% readjustment for a 24-hour work week. Furthermore, the agreement ensured the equalization of the state minimum wage with the national minimum wage by 2017. The benefits were also extended to 100 retired teachers.

In São Paulo, Mayor Fernando Haddad granted a 15% salary increase to public school teachers in 2014. This brought the minimum wage for teachers in the city to R$ 3.000,00, one of the highest in the country.

If education is a tool to prepare people for the exercise of citizenship and the collective construction of a social inclusion project, then the teacher is the main agent of this process. Therefore, they should be valued as a professional of knowledge, not as a disposable commodity in a market of superfluous goods.

This perspective illustrates the difference in public administration between the PT (Workers' Party) and the PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party). While our PT governments prioritize education, Geraldo Alckmin's government, instead of investing in quality education, prefers to build prisons, fight for lowering the age of criminal responsibility, and transfer the responsibility for inclusive education and school meals to municipalities. Furthermore, Alckmin does not engage in dialogue with the state school teachers who have been on strike for over two months.