Earthquake today in the province of Reggio Calabria, tremors in Cittanova – Sbircia la Notizia Magazine

Empty desks and chairs, as they should never be in a school, colored balloons to attract attention, and signs, banners, drawings: “The neighborhood lives if Gentilino lives”, “The school is our future”. The mobilization of families in the Navigli district of Milan to save the nursery school in Via Gentilino, which risks closing, started with a small and colorful installation. A flash mob promoted by mothers and fathers, with the support of the Social Street San Gottardo, Meda and Montegani and the cycling parents of the Massa Marmocchi movement who, with the usual musical accompaniment, stopped in front of the nursery school. A procession of adults and children, on two wheels, with backpacks covered with messages-appeals for the Municipality of Milan: “Gentilino School open”. Singing and applause, everyone stopped in front of the entrance, the street was crowded for about ten minutes, someone was moved.

For decades the historic institute elected as a ‘model’ of teaching by the Municipality itself (a destination for visits to share the good practices adopted with operators in the educational sector) has seen generations of Milanese grow and represented a point of reference for young expat couples ‘ and their children in the initial moments of loneliness, when building a new life away from loved ones. Many of those children today are the grandparents of young pupils who continue to walk down the path that leads to the Gentilino nursery school every morning. “A happy oasis”, they called it, now at risk. Next year the facility will welcome only one child, the remaining applications have been rejected.

Reason indicated by Palazzo Marino in an official communication to families, which only reached official rankings and in response to requests for clarification: “The building that houses the nursery school in via Gentilino is not owned by the Municipality” but by a non-profit organization “and the rental contract is not renewable. The Administration has already communicated its willingness to purchase this structure”, but “there are still no certainties” regarding the outcome of the discussion. Hence Palazzo Marino’s decision which raised the concern of the families and sparked the mobilization of the neighborhood. A bolt from the blue, given that the regular Open day had also taken place, which pushed parents to mobilize in different ways, and on multiple channels, from social media to the distribution of flyers in the neighborhood shops to ask for further support.

Yesterday a petition also started on the ‘Change.org’ platform which in a few hours exceeded a thousand signatures, today the demonstration. While the certificates of solidarity posted via social media continue. And the testimonies, like that of Mrs. Antonia, “an old nursery school student in via Gentilino”.

It was the year “1946”, he says in a video shot by Fabio Calarco, founder of the social street and parent of one of the school children. Then “I was 3 years old and my mother worked”, recalls Antonia, who then continued her studies in the primary school on the same street. “This is a very old school, a cultural monument of the area. And it must be preserved.” Special stories, of affection for the little students. Stories like that of her, told by some mothers, of grandmother Marta, who every day looks out of the window of her house near the school to greet the nursery children and give them some biscuits.

The hope? “May Gentilino remain as he is and continue for many more years,” Antonia says in the video. The parents’ commitment does not end here, explain the promoters of the initiatives. In the coming days we will continue to ask the municipal administration for maximum commitment to avoid the closure of the nursery school, even on more official occasions.