The Student Activists Campaigning For Public Education in Chile

In 2013, Sofía Brito entered the University of Chile’s Law School, recognizing its grand architecture and marble interior designed to inspire awe. The university, established in 1842, was Chile’s oldest and most prestigious institution, known for producing sixteen out of thirty-three presidents, whose portraits hung in a prominent annex.

Sofía, from a long line of hard-left militants, was passionate about public education and the struggles faced by students. Inspired by her father’s experiences during the Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group, MIR, during the 1973 Pinochet dictatorship, she reveled in the nation’s recent history, particularly the successful transition to socialism.

The high school students, more than university students, led bold occupations, igniting the "penguin revolution" in 2006, where thousands of middle and high school students marched in white button-down shirts, black skirts or pants, and blazers, protesting the inequitable public education model. The public schools were neglected, leading to high failure rates, with only 50% passing university entrance exams.

Private schools were expensive, while public schools couldn't guarantee students' admission. The economic disparity was stark, with Santiago’s east being affluent and the west deteriorating. Sofía, through her activism, aimed to continue her father’s legacy in dismantling the growing inequality in Chile. By 2011, the student movement had evolved into a well-organized political force, with students from diverse regions leading the protests and demanding government investment in public education.

Their message remained consistent, but their methods evolved, incorporating carnival-like elements, performance art, and anarcho-punk antics to keep the movement dynamic and engaging.