Catalan Government appeals to the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that struck down key provisions of a decree protecting Catalan as the primary language in schools.

The government’s legal challenge, filed on Friday, seeks to reinstate measures ensuring Catalan remains the vehicular language in education, according to reports from ARA.

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This follows a July decision by the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) that nullified more than a dozen articles of the 2023 decree.

Catalan Government Appeals to Supreme Court Over Language Dispute

The TSJC’s annulment responded to a legal challenge from the Assembly for a Bilingual School (AEB). Consequently, the court argued the decree failed to guarantee a “reasonable presence of Spanish in teaching.” Furthermore, it claimed the rules created an “imbalance in favour of the Catalan language.” The government’s appeal, however, strongly contests this interpretation.

Government legal services have now taken the case to Spain’s highest court. They aim to dismantle the TSJC’s reasoning. The appeal centres on two main arguments. Firstly, it addresses the terminology around “vehicular language.” The government contends that not explicitly naming Spanish as vehicular does not exclude it, provided its adequate presence is guaranteed.

Secondly, the appeal challenges the TSJC’s concern about a lack of control mechanisms. The court had warned of risks that students might not achieve competency in Spanish. The Generalitat, however, asserts sufficient mechanisms exist to guarantee linguistic competence in both Catalan and Spanish, regardless of the specific terminology used.

The original decree was a response to increasing political pressure on Catalonia’s educational model. It was designed to shield the system from demands for fixed linguistic percentages in classrooms. The rules explicitly prohibit applying “percentages, proportions, or numerical parameters in language teaching.” Additionally, they establish Catalan as the normal language of use in public schools.

Another significant aspect of the decree involves teacher qualifications. It mandates that from the 2025-26 academic year, a C2 level of Catalan will be a requirement for teaching. This provision, temporarily suspended, has now been reactivated following a separate ruling. Therefore, it will apply to interim teachers seeking placement from next year.

The ongoing legal battle reflects deeper tensions over language policy in Catalonia. The government’s move to the Supreme Court signifies its determination to defend the current linguistic framework. The outcome will have profound implications for Catalonia’s education system and its approach to bilingualism.

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