According to Gabriel Attal, secularism in school is “more threatened than ever”.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal judges secularism “More Threatened Than Ever” in school and promises to establish “pedagogical support cells” help teachers face “resistance, even protests”in an interview given to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, March 13.

“What concerns me most today is that we are seeing an increase in the number of reports for questionable teaching. I see it as a sign that the enemies of secularism are still present and trying to infiltrate the school and weaken it”but also “sign that the word is being released” among teachers, the head of government declares two days before the twentieth anniversary of the law against the wearing of flashy religious clothing or symbols in school.

THE “pedagogical support cells” it will be according to him “directly accessible to teachers who are concerned about the order of teaching, who face resistance or even teaching challenges”.

It will be “contact at the level of the rectorate, which can offer them three main solutions: educational support with reference teachers who can advise them how to master certain sequences of the program, the physical presence of non-teaching staff in the classroom or the physical presence of trained staff, for example part of the academic teams “of the values ​​of the Republic “.

Gabriel Attal, who banned the wearing of the abaya and qami, Muslim garments, when he was Minister of National Education, welcomes “that today they report wearing religious symbols and clothing.” (be) at the lowest”. “This is an unprecedented victory for secularism since 2004”emphasizes.

The “Rule is a group” level.

Gabriel Attal also insists on his highly controversial intention to set up French and Maths level groups at the college and ensure that they are “rule” in these subjects and the whole class “exception”. It will be good “three groups according to the level of difficulty of the students, with one goal: to be able to evaluate the level of the students, which will allow to change the groups”promises.

After weeks of consultation, Education Minister Nicole Belloubet, who arrived in Rue de Grenelle a month ago, announced last week “Certain flexibility” in implementation, next year, in 6^E and at 5^E, from these groups, is supposed to raise the level of students. I prefer to qualify them as “necessary groups”, she mentioned the possibility “bring students together as a whole class” at certain times, which was a relief to the teachers’ unions, who saw it as a change to this reform, which they strongly oppose. However, Gabriel Attal reconfirmed the next day that it would indeed be a question “level groups”.

“What does the name matter if there is measure”he said in an interview with AFP, without specifying whether the term “level group” would appear in official texts to be published on Friday to create “shock of knowledge” – a set of measures to raise the level of students.

The head of government promises moments of the whole class, but delivers “that for at least three quarters of the year, students must attend French and mathematics classes in level groups. So the rule is the group and the exception, very regulated, is the class.”.

“It’s very annoying to see that Gabriel Attal remains steadfast in his decision to make the tier group the rule.”, Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of SNES-FSU, the main union of secondary education (high schools and universities), responded to AFP. According to her, the prime minister “remains disconnected from the reality of what is happening in the classroom and has not taken into account the rejection of teachers and parents in this matter”.

For Jérôme Fournier, SE-UNSA National Secretary, “it is urgently necessary to wait for the publication of the official texts”. “To say that class is an exception is relative flexibility” AND “We continue to think groups are harmful to students”he told AFP.

No differences with Nicole Belloubet

Teachers’ and principals’ unions fear a “advise” students and lack of resources. Mobilizations against this reform have been ongoing since January. Gabriel Attal, who was asked about this topic, refutes any notion “stigma” students and judges that “a major concern of many parents” rather “Knowing if the organization of the school will allow their children to progress”.

Regarding the means, it assures “If we realize, here or there, at a particular academy, at a particular facility, that additional positions are needed, we will continue to add resources”.

Even the prime minister denies any “divergence” with the Minister of Education on this topic. “Everyone knows how much we need to be united for our school. The direction is very clear. It was established by the President of the Republic. The itinerary is there. The school is in very good hands with Nicole Belloubet., he assures. The Prime Minister adds that he does not want to take matters of national education into his own hands, increasing the number of trips, meetings and speeches dedicated to schools this week.

After Monday’s visit to Arras, where the teacher Dominique Bernard was killed five months ago, he will go with the Minister of Education to the College of Chartres in Eure-et-Loir on Thursday. He will organize a video conference meeting with the heads of the facilities (middle schools, high schools), especially at the group level. “On the day of my appointment to Matignon, I said I was taking a school thing with mehe remembers. I never lost a thread. »