The bill “José Matías”, named after the young trans student who committed suicide in May 2019, after suffering a series of episodes of harassment within the Sacred Heart Lyceum of Copiapó – was supported by a cross-cutting group of deputies and deputies, who propose amendments to the general education law to incorporate the obligation to apply and inform parents , students and the educational community, in relation to existing rights and provisions on the respect and inclusion of students of sexual diversity; such as circular 768 of the Superintendency of Education.
It also addresses issues such as the duty to report to family courts when an educational community become aware of bullying situations and not just applying the rules of procedure; establish sanctions on property maintainers and authorities, and those who perform within them, when they are responsible for abuse, abuse or discrimination of various kinds, particularly with regard to students’ gender identity.
Holding at all times a portrait of his son, and surrounded by posters with the motto, “Respect, Tolerance and Empathy, we go by the José Matías Law”; the young woman’s mother, Marcela Guevara, along with thanking the support of the parliamentarians, stated that “as José Matías’ mother it is an important milestone in this path of resigning the death of my son to be able to present the bill, which has to do entirely with being able to improve the conditions in which trans students and children develop at school.”
As Long as Ms Daniella Cicardini noted that “today we are presenting the José Matías Bill with her mother Marcela, with the support of several organizations and a cross-cutting group of deputies; because we mean enough bullyng and discrimination in our schools; enough of harassment, pain and deaths like Joseph Matthias in Copiapó; and enough of suffering like the one that his mother Marcella, the principal and courageous driver of this Law, has had to bear.”
“With this we are saying that respect for diversity must be born from education and in schools, which is where students are trained, and that establishments must take responsibility for promoting, properly reporting and respecting the rights of trans children and adolescents themselves,” he added.
For her part, the Executive President of Fundación Iguales, organization for the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, Alessia Injoque, said that “the State has a duty to protect children, the duty to guarantee their right to education in an environment free of violence and that duty includes trans children, one of the most vulnerable groups and that , unfortunately, it is also one of the most unsusitable by our institutionality.”
In the same line, Injoque mentioned that “we cannot be indifferent, indifference kills. We call on congressmen on all benches and the executive: if they believe that children should be first in line, support this bill and prioritize its processing.”
Among the group of parliamentarians who also support the initiative are MPs Natalia Castillo (RD), Maya Fernández (PS), Camila Vallejo (PC), Pamela Jiles (PH), EriKa Olivera (IND), Marisela Santibáñez (PC), and deputies Juan Santana (PS) and Gonzalo Fuenzalida (RN).
