My name is Raquel Papalardo. I was born and live in Argentina, in Buenos Aires. Since I was little I dreamed of being a teacher, finally I decided to be a Geography Teacher, specialist in Environment and Sustainable Development.

After 20 years as a teacher in different institutions and different educational levels: initial (3-6 years), primary (6-12 years), middle (13-18 years) tertiary (adults), and at the University.

Then I ventured into school conduction for another 20 years and directed a shift at the middle level of the Mariano Acosta school founded in 1874, at the beginning of the Argentine National Organization, a leading institution in the training of male teachers, with which its mark it was the patriarchy.  At the end of my teaching career I culminated in it as Rector.

I have always been committed to defending the rights of education workers and the rights of children and adolescents. I had to fight a lot together with the community and the Union of Education Workers' union, a member of CTERA, against the neoliberal government of the City of Buenos Aires that ruled from 2007 to the present, however the National and Popular Government From that moment, it allowed the school to advance in numerous projects and rights.

Difficult to explain in a few lines what was done together with a community committed to the public. With my direction we built the 19th century school, which due to malpractice was uninhabitable because a ceiling had fallen. With the struggle of all of us, we set up this palace school: student teachers, families and the union.

The fight was constant for scholarships, for resources for school operations, for restoration, for the opening of other spaces. All efforts were made for the benefit of the community in the face of the inaction of a government of the City of Buenos Aires responsible for our school.

With the community we started hugs the school, the students took “shots” of the institution, with the legal consequences towards me and persecution, community marches with the UTE Union. We finally managed to open the Julio Cortázar theater, the initial level and the school radio, always with the support of the National Government.

We also develop the plans and curriculum established by the National and jurisdictional Government and we also carry out 25 projects at all educational levels. The school was transformed into a space that spread education and culture: night of museums, opera, theater, choral events, visit of personalities among them the President of Mothers of Plaza de Mayo Estela de Carlotto, Professor Nita Freire wife of Paulo Freire , the Brother of Che Guevara and many others.

With a lot of effort we arrived with cultural activities to the neighborhood and the country. We continue and start solidarity, pedagogical and cultural trips to the border with Chile and to the north of the country. We also started the opening with our brother country Brazil pedagogical exchanges.

Unfortunately after everything done with the community, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires stopped me from my duties because of my age. They argued that I should withdraw, without prior report, on Friday, June 30, 2017.

It was the moment of my retirement, with a lot of pain, with everything to give and with a lot of desire to do.

Today from different parts of society the fight continues, for the rights of the most humble, for the inclusion in education of the weakest and for respect for the environment.

Best regards

Raquel.