Brescia Province and Castiglione clash over high school incentives

War breaks out between Castiglione and the Province of Brescia over high schools and the incentives that the Region, through the provinces, can provide to students. The offensive against representatives of neighboring provincial entities was launched, on behalf of other institutional components, by the vice mayor of Castiglione Giuseppe Bertoli.

The reason for the dispute

The incident Bertoli refers to, in a rather harsh letter written to the people of Brescia, is quite peculiar, to tell the truth. In short, summarizing its main points, the story goes roughly like this.

Students of middle schools in Brescia municipalities bordering Castiglione delle Stiviere were informed that laws approved in Lombardy would be implemented and made available: these include incentives and scholarships to promote the right to education, even regarding enrollment in high schools.

But not only that: the benefits and contributions would only be available to Brescia students attending Brescia schools, and not to all those planning to enroll or already enrolled at the Istituto secondario superiore Gonzaga of Castiglione delle Stiviere.

“This seems to me a very serious act,” commented assessore Bertoli. “It creates a real discrimination against our schools. I note, in fact, that Castiglione delle Stiviere, with its high schools, is a very important educational hub, with a clearly interprovincial significance.

At Gonzaga, after the establishment of the Itc and with the courses in Classico and Scientifico, many Brescia students are enrolled and planning to enroll. The Province of Mantova and the municipality of Castiglione are also increasing efforts to strengthen the facility: at this point, students residing in Brescia province, whose choice will be limited by the decision of their government to grant scholarships only to students enrolled in Brescia schools, face restricted options.

“We hope,” concluded Bertoli, “that our complaint will be taken into consideration by the Province of Brescia and the administrators of neighboring municipalities.”