Rural teachers in Sinaloa: pedagogues, health promoters and political-social activists

Abstract

This article aims to study the formation of the post-revolutionary Mexican State based on the actions undertaken by rural teachers belonging to the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP). These actors planned and launched a cultural revolution at a national level, which established the mission of integrating and incorporating the masses of peasants and workers into the national culture. In this sense, the teachers functioned as articulators between the communities and the national State, becoming pedagogues, organizers of peasants and workers; promoters of unity and legitimacy through songs, dances, theater and oratory, introducing the new heroes and principles of the Revolution to the political processes and local artistic expressions (Kay, 1997, p. 57).

The work consists of two sections. The first refers to the educational actions undertaken by the State such as demonstrations against alcoholism, Day and Week of the Tree. These projects were carried out by state governors, municipal presidents, teachers and students, who were in charge of going through the streets shouting and chanting slogans against alcoholism and the damage it caused.

The second section refers to the work of teachers, especially in their respective communities where they organized clean-up campaigns, sports meetings, tree planting and the formation of Parents' Committees to raise funds for the construction of schools. At the same time, teachers are analyzed as articulators between the national State and rural communities. To realize the socialist project, teachers organized plays, founded night schools, chaired meetings and gave lectures to the citizens of the community. Likewise, teachers became popular leaders, as they advised and founded workers' unions; in addition, they created Agrarian Committees, of which they themselves became leaders.