Puerto de la Cruz Government Rejects PSOE Proposal for Permanent Coeducation Plan
The Puerto de la Cruz local government has rejected a Socialist proposal for a permanent coeducation plan, sparking opposition concerns over the future of essential childcare services and digital safety initiatives.
Disagreements over equality policies have surfaced once again in Puerto de la Cruz. During the March 30 plenary session, the local government—a coalition of the Popular Party and the Asamblea Ciudadana Portuense (ACP)—rejected a proposal from the Socialist (PSOE) group to create a permanent plan for coeducation in the municipality. The government replaced the proposal with an amendment, a move the opposition claims is a step backward for essential public services for children.
The debate largely concerns the El Caracol playroom in the La Vera neighborhood. The PSOE argues that the government’s lack of support threatens the staffing needed to keep the facility running. Historically, the playroom has been vital for helping families balance work and home life while teaching children about equality. The Socialists warn that the current situation weakens the service, undermining its role as a space for preventing gender-based violence from an early age.
The proposal also addressed the digital risks facing children. With minors increasingly exposed to violent, sexist, or pornographic content on social media, the PSOE urged the City Council to lead awareness campaigns that extend beyond the classroom. PSOE spokesperson Marco González argued that the local government should not use a lack of direct jurisdiction over education as an excuse to avoid responsibility, insisting that the city must actively protect young people from the dangers of the digital world.
The initiative, introduced to mark International Women’s Day, aimed to build on previous local efforts like the "metavioleta" program, which was designed to combat online sexism. The PSOE emphasized that coeducation needs consistent, long-term planning rather than one-off events. They are calling for a sustained political commitment to integrate a gender perspective into all public spaces—including parks, cultural centers, and sports facilities—to ensure that important projects do not become isolated initiatives with no future.