Italian students in nationwide protest against cuts to public education

(12 Oct 2012) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of police escorting student demo, students waving peace flags in background 2. Wide of peace flags passing in front of statue of Julius Caesar 3. Wide of protesters marching down street with big red balloons 4. Mid of protesters letting off red smoke flare 5. Mid of protesters in front of Coliseum, peace flags waving in background 6. Wide of students marching through Rome centre with banner reading in Italian "School is not for sale" 7. Wide of demonstrators marching 8. Close-up teachers with scissors on their heads to symbolise cuts to public school budget 9. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Maria Elena Pisani, retired teacher who volunteers in her school: "They continue to make cuts to the school budgets, when we have already been reduced to the bone, we don't have anything left to give." 10. Mid of teachers holding up a banner 11. Wide of students marching 12. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Francesca Marzo, high school teacher from Rome: "It is as a government of technocrats and professors that have no clue about knowledge and learning. Among other things the learning sector is a strategic sector for a country because if you want to relaunch a country with a struggling economy you have to invest in knowledge." 13. Mid of police 14. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Federico Giolitti, student carrying peace flag: "Peace is one of the most important values that you can pursue and we must never forget it." 15. Wide of helicopter flying over demonstration STORYLINE Students and professors demonstrated across Italy on Friday in protests against the cuts to public education. The technocrat government led by Italian Premier Mario Monti has already made cuts to the education budget and unions believe that there could be more to come next year. Monti's government is drawing up the budget for 2013 and has already announced spending cuts and new taxes as it attempts to reduce public debt. Protesting teachers, wearing hats in the shape of scissors, said the education budget had already been cut by former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and that they "don't have anything left to give." Unions also fear that teachers will have to work more hours. Several students waved peace flags or carried banners saying "school is not for sale" as they marched past the Roman Coliseum and the Roman Forum. Protesters marched in 90 Italian cities altogether. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...