Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios (ACES)

Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios (ACES)
Name	Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios
Native name	Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios
Formation	2000s
Headquarters	Santiago
Region served	Chile
Membership	secondary students

Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios (ACES) is a Chilean secondary student federation that has coordinated student assemblies, strikes, and protests focused on secondary schooling and public policy. It emerged as part of wider social mobilizations and has interacted with trade unions, political parties, and municipal authorities. ACES has influenced national debates and aligned with diverse civil society actors in demonstrations and legislative advocacy.

History

ACES formed amid a wave of student mobilizations inspired by earlier protests such as the Penguin Revolution, the 2006 student protests in Chile, and the 2011 Chilean protests. Its development responded to education reforms promoted during administrations of Michelle Bachelet, Sebastián Piñera, and Ricardo Lagos that affected funding and municipal administration. ACES mobilized alongside organizations like the Confederación de Estudiantes de Chile, the Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile, and the Marcha por la Educación networks, engaging with labor groups including the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Chile and civil movements such as No + AFP and Movimiento Democrático Popular. Regional events in cities like Valparaíso, Concepción, and Antofagasta shaped its tactics, while national institutions such as the Congreso Nacional de Chile considered legislation influenced by ACES pressure.

Organization and Structure

ACES adopted an assembly-based structure similar to the participatory models used by the Asamblea Popular movements, with local school delegations forming regional coordinations akin to provincial councils in Región Metropolitana de Santiago. Leadership rotated via plenary votes informed by student federations like the Federación de Estudiantes Secundarios de Chile and youth wings of parties such as Frente Amplio (Chile), Partido Comunista de Chile, and Partido Socialista de Chile. Decision-making referenced precedents from the Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco in decentralized coordination, while liaison roles engaged municipal mayors from parties like Partido por la Democracia and representatives from ministries such as the Ministry of Education (Chile). Organizational committees communicated with human rights bodies including Profesoras y Profesores por los Derechos Humanos and supranational actors like the United Nations Human Rights Council in advocacy.

Activities and Campaigns

ACES organized school occupations, marches, and sit-ins echoing tactics used in the 2019–2020 Chilean protests and earlier occupations of municipal buildings in Santiago Centro. Campaigns targeted policies including school funding mechanisms, the role of municipal administrations exemplified by the Municipality of Santiago, and curricular reforms debated in forums with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and the University of Chile. ACES coordinated national days of action aligning with university federations such as the CONFECH, staged demonstrations at plazas like Plaza de la Dignidad, and participated in televised debates on channels including Televisión Nacional de Chile and Canal 13. They produced manifestos circulated through outlets like La Tercera and El Mercurio and engaged legal advocacy involving the Corte Suprema de Chile and ombuds institutions such as the Instituto Nacional de Derechos Humanos.

Political Positions and Alliances

ACES articulated positions on privatization policies debated by presidents Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle and Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez’s historical contexts, advocated for public schooling expansions associated with proposals from Michelle Bachelet administrations, and critiqued market-oriented reforms linked to neoliberal models promoted during the Pinochet regime. Alliances ranged from youth wings of leftist parties like Juventud Comunista de Chile to broader coalitions including Movimiento Amplio Social and student federations such as FECh. ACES sometimes coordinated with labor strikes by unions including the Asociación Nacional de Empleados Fiscales and collaborated with parent associations like the Asociación de Padres y Apoderados de Chile in local campaigns. It opposed legislation supported by certain members of the Cámara de Diputadas y Diputados de Chile while lobbying sympathetic senators from blocs such as the Nueva Mayoría.

Impact and Controversies

ACES influenced public discourse on secondary schooling reforms debated by the Ministerio de Educación (Chile) and provoked responses from government figures including ministers and municipal officials. Its actions contributed to policy discussions that fed into commissions like the Comisión de Educación del Senado de Chile and to proposals evaluated by the Contraloría General de la República. Controversies included clashes with police forces such as the Carabineros de Chile during demonstrations, accusations in media outlets like TVN of disrupting academic calendars, and debates with conservative parties like Renovación Nacional and Unión Demócrata Independiente. Internal disputes paralleled factional splits seen in organizations like the Frente Amplio (Chile), and legal challenges referenced precedents from the Corte Suprema regarding protest rights.

Notable Members and Leadership

Leaders and prominent members emerged from secondary federations and later entered university federations or political roles, following trajectories similar to activists who joined the Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile or parties such as Partido Socialista de Chile, Partido Comunista de Chile, and Revolución Democrática (Chile). Some members became public figures featured in outlets like Radio Universidad de Chile and newspapers including La Tercera. Collaborations included interactions with public intellectuals from institutions such as the Catholic University of Chile and activists associated with movements like Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez and human rights advocates linked to Memoria Viva.

Legacy and Influence on Education Policy

ACES’ legacy includes shaping debates that informed reform proposals discussed by presidents Gabriel Boric and Sebastián Piñera, contributing to shifts in funding models and municipal roles reviewed by the Ministerio de Desarrollo Social y Familia and educational policy commissions. Its participatory assembly model influenced later youth organizations and civic education programs at universities like the Universidad de Santiago de Chile and policy research at think tanks such as the Centro de Estudios Públicos. The movement’s tactics and networks informed subsequent mobilizations during events like the 2019–2020 Chilean protests and continue to be referenced in legislative debates within the Congreso Nacional de Chile.

Category:Education in Chile Category:Student organizations in Chile