Chile's Student Activists: A Course in Democracy - washingtonpost.com

Chile's Student Activists: A Course in Democracy - washingtonpost.com: "Saturday, November 25, 2006; Page A01

SANTIAGO, Chile -- When the Class of 2006 graduates in a few weeks, its members will look back at a year in which some of the most important lessons took place outside the classroom.

In their black and white school uniforms, they launched what became known here as the 'Penguin Revolution,' filling the streets, calling for educational reforms, occupying school buildings and sparking a nationwide debate that was quickly labeled a milestone for the nation's young democracy.


Chilean police detain a high school student during a demonstration for education reforms last month in Santiago.
Chilean police detain a high school student during a demonstration for education reforms last month in Santiago. (By Claudio Santana -- Associated Press)
Save & Share Article What's This?
Digg
Google

del.icio.us
Yahoo!

Reddit
Facebook

Extracurricular activities for student leaders this year meant negotiating with senior government officials. When they text-messaged friends, at times it was to organize rallies that attracted as many as 800,000 people. A few became nationally known public figures in their own right."