Attention: There Are Children in the Area

In 1965, when the land surrounding the school area was all farmland, the Mackenzie family claimed the land as their property without proper documentation. They allowed a preschool to be built on the land.

In 1999, the university tried to remove the preschool. They successfully closed the school for a few years until the community demanded that the school reopen because of uncertainty over who actually owned the land.

Supporters of the school have fought to be heard ever since. In 2015, the preschool grounds were not placed on maps for future development in the area. In October 2019, teachers, students and parents stormed government buidings and courts to protest the sale of the school grounds.

Since this time, the school has promoted the message that students should know more about the environment in which they live. A coalition of neighboring schools and facilities teaches kids about their community and the history of the city by taking them to museums and shows.

Coalition members also use an art form called pixação to express discontent with policies and inequities in city life. They use stencils to spray paint “There are Children in the Area” on the sidewalks. This art form helps people express that when it comes to urban planning, policymakers disregard the needs of children most of the time.  However, this community is determined to make its voice heard!