“The School Council is the highest representative body in a center, composed of teachers and parents, and families always have one more representative. They are usually representatives of a worker from the centre, normally, and also from the town hall, but in the eight years that I have spent, I have seen the representative of the town hall once, I guess Bilbao is a great city, in the small towns it will be something else. In secondary school, the representation of students is also added,” explains Susana Aribayos. He is one of the parents' representatives at the School Council, at the Luis Briñas School in the bilbaíno district of Santutxu, with over 600 students.

This mother is clear: The Supreme Organ is the appropriate space to influence the circumstances of the centre, through which all important things pass. “All projects and improvement plans that go forward in the center are decided, must be approved by this commission.” He says that the main concerns are those related to living or dining.

Copy for parents

“Fathers and mothers also bring the proposals prepared in the association of fathers and mothers and go ahead after discussing in committee and reaching agreement. Sometimes we do not all agree, but we have achieved things by talking and looking for the medium. The view of families is very important, if we see that something goes wrong, we express it and we are cared for”.

Why do more mothers participate in the School Council than fathers? Is the education of children still in charge of mothers?, we asked Aribayos. “In our case, although we are more mothers, they are also fathers, and in these years I have seen the participation of men increase. However, it is true that you see more men at decision-making points like this, than acts organized by parent associations, that is, I have seen few men preparing chocolate.”

What has Aribayos learned in this space? “You are aware of all the work that a school has to do. As parents, the focus extends from focusing on their children, because everyone in this body is very clear that we are looking for the well-being of all students, and you can go with your concern, but you listen to others and put yourself in the skin of others.”