The Ombudsman Office warned that plans to set up education centers for immigrant children in Catalonia, would risk creating ghettos. “It would be terrible [for ghettos to be created] during an important formative period such as attending school,” said Ombudswoman Mar_a Luisa Cava de Llano. “Under no circumstances do I want this to turn into a tool for segregation.” In early July, the Catalan government announced plans to create four Education Welcome Centers for foreigners, opening in September. Labor Unions and immigrant organizations have spoken out against the plan, citing an affront to the Spanish education system, which favors racial segregation. SOS Racismo stated that these centers run the risk of eliminating the notion of integration from within the educational centre and reinforcing resources at existing schools is a preferable route.
