Given the Government’s culpable and “religious” silence, the UAAR (Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics) has made all information about school building projects which are funded by the 8×1000 state allocation easily accessible.
An interesting fact emerges from analyzing the allocation rankings for 8×1000 state funds earmarked for “School Building” projects: over €20 million will ultimately be allocated to the renovation of public schools. A total of 57 school buildings will benefit from such a funding which will be directed toward constriction work, spanning from Settimo Torniese to Mazara del Vallo. This includes 20 schools in the North (€6,670,500), 19 in the Central regions and Islands (€5,787,483.29), and 18 in the South (€6,787,893.61). The aforementioned funds will reach 55 municipalities and will then be utilized in favor of preschools, primary schools, and middle schools, as well as in favor of two high schools in the provinces of Forlì-Cesena and Perugia.
Meanwhile, as the Government increasingly bolsters private schools with substantial contributions through specific amendments in the Budget Law, and as the 8×1000 allocation to the Catholic Church tends to gather fewer adherents each year, taxpayers have chosen to directly fund public schools. Such a funding is possible through the 8×1000 mechanism, a system designed to funnel nearly €1 billion annually to the Church. Yet, this significant news has gone unacknowledged by Education and Merit Minister Giuseppe Valditara or Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
«Why,» asks Robert Grendene, UAAR Secretary, «don’t they publicly and wholeheartedly thank the Italian taxpayers who selected ‘State/School Building’ in their 8×1000 income tax declaration? Upon consideration, there is an explanation: they forgot to be patriotic and defenders of national identity when Italian’s choices – despite being undoubtedly in favor of their country and the state education system – don’t align with the Church’s preferences».
The Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics has stepped in, analyzing and publishing the data. The complete list of schools that will benefit from the aforementioned funds, and will therefore be made safer and more efficient in light of taxpayers’ preferences is now readily available on the UAAR’s website, which also features an interactive map to ease the consultation of each funded project.
Press Release
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.