Roma children abused at Portimão school

GypsySchoolchild The parents of certain schoolchildren at the Major David Neto School in Portimão have accused its staff of insults, aggression, xenophobia, discrimination and the abuse of schoolchildren.

A report from the SOS Racism association confirms it has received a report that several 4th year students have been subject to verbal and physical aggression by staff and that children from ethnic groups have been singled out for abuse.

According to the parents’ allegations, the school “has a class in which it placed all Roma children, children with disabilities, black children and white children who have been transferred from other schools.” This is absurd “because a mixture of culture and race enriches all.”

According to the parents, the situation becomes intolerable when they found out that that Roma children were made to eat standing up, with some of them placed strategically next to the rubbish bin.”

“They are beaten up both physically and verbally and there are bad swear words used inside the cafeteria by employees,” reads the document.

The situation “became even more serious when a complaint was lodged which the head of the school became aware of and went to the classroom looking for my daughter because I identified myself in the complaint and threatened them and intimidate everyone, saying they could not tell parents what is happening at school,” the document reads.

The parents involved have presented a complaint of the school and to the regional directorate of Education of the Algarve, which has requested clarification from the Manuel Teixeira Gomes Group of Schools, to which the Major David Neto School belongs.

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