Campania School Closures Spark Heated Debate

The Campania regional governor’s decision to temporarily suspend in-person schooling ignited a firestorm of controversy across television debates and social media. Public opinion sharply divided, with passionate arguments both for and against the measure. Minister of Education Lucia Azzolina vehemently criticized Governor Vincenzo De Luca’s directive, calling it “a grave and profoundly misguided, even untimely decision.” She suggested the governor was unfairly targeting schools, citing a relatively low 0.75% student positivity rate in Campania—only slightly below the national average of 0.80%—and asserting that rising infection rates were not attributable to schools.

Conversely, Professor Guido Saraceni, a jurist and lecturer at Tor Vergata University, defended De Luca’s actions. He argued that the governor, acutely aware of Campania’s healthcare capacity and the rising infection curve, acted to mitigate public transport congestion by closing schools and universities (except for first-year students) until October 30th. Saraceni countered Azzolina’s argument that the closure infringed upon students’ constitutional right to education, stating that the paramount constitutional right is the right to life. He expressed a preference for online learning over hospitalized students.

Public reaction, mirroring the expert debate, was fractured. Supporters lauded the governor’s decision, hoping to curb school entry and public transport overcrowding. Opponents, however, emphasized the childcare challenges faced by working parents. Late in the day, De Luca countered the criticism by releasing data from Naples and Caserta health authorities, detailing recent school-related infections: 120 cases in ASL Napoli 1; 110 in ASL Napoli 2; 200 students and 50 teachers (plus roughly 70 related cases) in ASL Napoli 3; and 61 cases in ASL Caserta. He highlighted the significant number of infections stemming from direct contact, identified through contact tracing, amid a broader regional context of 1,127 positive tests out of 13,780 (8.1% positivity rate).