Costa Mar assembly weighs school-safety measures after incidents of unrest

The Costa Mar Regional Assembly held a special session on Tuesday afternoon to address a pattern of incidents at secondary schools across Puerto Azul and the interior towns. Over the past six weeks, three schools reported significant disruptions involving students—two involving property damage, one involving injuries to staff members. No deaths have occurred, and no weapons were involved in any of the incidents. But the cumulative effect has prompted an unusually sharp debate about how the region balances education, safety, and the civil liberties of young people.

The Education Ministry presented a preliminary report showing that the incidents clustered around overcrowded classrooms and inadequate counseling resources. A secondary school in Puerto Azul reported that three of its four counseling positions remained vacant due to budget constraints. The ministry's director recommended immediate funding for mental-health staffing and conflict-de-escalation training for teachers. The proposal has support from the Tierra Verde delegation in the federal assembly and from La Verda Aliro's regional allies, who see the crisis as a symptom of neglect rather than a law-and-order problem.

However, assembly members from the business-oriented districts of Puerto Azul have raised concerns about tourism impact and public perception. They have proposed a separate motion calling for increased security protocols at schools near the main tourist corridors and for a review of student assembly and protest procedures. The two proposals—one emphasizing counseling and resources, the other emphasizing order and restriction—are now in committee, with a vote expected within two weeks.