The Chihuahua Congress approved a reform prohibiting the use of inclusive language in all schools in the state, becoming the first state in the country to adopt this measure.
On Tuesday, October 7, in a session marked by conflicting positions, the Chihuahua Congress approved a reform to the State Education Law that prohibits the use of inclusive language in the state’s schools.
With this action, Chihuahua becomes the first state in Mexico to adopt such a measure, arguing that it seeks to ensure the “correct use of the grammatical and spelling rules of the Spanish language” in the education system.
The initiative, sponsored by Representative Carlos Olson San Vicente of the National Action Party (PAN), incorporates a new section into Article 8 of the state law. The approved text states that school authorities must now comply with the correct use of the Spanish language in all basic education institutions, from public to private schools with official recognition.
During the regular session, Olson San Vicente argued that basic education “is essential to preserving the richness and unity” of the Spanish language, and emphasized that the language represents not only a means of communication, but also a vehicle for cultural identity, history, and thought. He added that an education focused on grammar and spelling allows students to express themselves “with precision and understanding both orally and in writing.”
The parliamentary discussion lasted more than an hour and a half. During the debate, the Morena party, led by Representative Óscar Avitia Arellanes, presented several motions to return the initiative to the Education, Physical Culture, and Sports Committee, arguing that it had not been sufficiently analyzed. Former Congressional Speaker Elizabeth Guzmán Argueta reiterated these proposals, which were also rejected by a majority.
Human rights groups and members of the LGBT+ community warned Congress that the explanatory statement of the ruling contained elements that could be interpreted as hate speech. They denounced the reform as fostering an environment that could legitimize the exclusion of non-binary gender expressions.
Among the academic arguments cited, the opinion included opinions from linguist Concepción Company, who stated that “inclusive language distracts from the real problems that exist in other areas; it is a false problem that pleases many and distracts from the real underlying problem,” and that “only 3% of Spanish grammar depends on the sex of the referent.”
The document added: “Following the specialist’s idea, language is by nature inclusive without the need to distort the language or add complexity to reading comprehension and fluency.”
The PAN Parliamentary Group defended the measure, stating that “following grammatical and spelling rules helps us develop discipline in all areas, particularly during the most important stage of education; following rules and details helps our minds organize ideas and priorities.”
The reform will take effect once it is published in the Official Gazette of the State.
The announcement of the ban generated a wave of comments on social media, reflecting the social polarization surrounding the issue.
Carlos Olson celebrated the result of his initiative on his X account, posting: “WE DID IT! Chihuahua is the first state in the country to ban inclusive language in schools. No more ideologized language in classrooms or woke confusion: just the biological truth that there are only boys and girls, not ‘niñes’. Common sense over ideology!”
Citizen reactions multiplied through social networks, where users expressed both support and rejection of the reform.
Source: INFOBAE
