“Fed up”: teachers and other National Education staff, exasperated by the waltz of health protocols linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, take part in a massive strike on Thursday, with half of the schools closed according to the first primary school union.
Nearly 38.5% of teachers are on strike in nursery and elementary schools, according to the Ministry of Education, while the SNUipp-FSU, the leading primary union, announces 75% of strikers. One in two primary schools is closed, according to the SNUipp-FSU.
It “is not a strike against the virus but it illustrates the growing fed up in schools” according to this union, in reference to the words of the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer, who had spoken of a “strike against the virus”.
In colleges and high schools, 23.7% of teachers are mobilized, according to the ministry, while the Snes-FSU, the leading secondary school union, announces 62% of strikers. “The strike is in the majority and reflects strong anger in the educational community,” said the union.
All the teachers’ unions, which have joined in particular, which is rarer, the inspectors of National Education or the heads of establishments, called for a strike and demonstrations during the day, denouncing “an indescribable mess” due to health protocols.
“There is too much mismatch between the given constraints and the reality on the ground, we are exhausting everyone,” Patrick Roumagnac, secretary general of the National Education Inspection Union (SI. IN UNSA, majority).
The Parisian procession, which should take part the left-wing presidential candidates, will leave at the beginning of the afternoon from the Luxembourg Palace, in the direction of the Ministry of Education.
In Clermont-Ferrand, a large procession, of 1,200 people according to the prefecture and 1,500 people according to a union, started around 10:30 a.m., with signs calling for the resignation of the Minister of Education. “Against this virus, I am striking because I certify on my honor to be poorly paid and to be despised by my minister”, could we read under a photo of Mr. Blanquer.
In Rennes, 4,500 demonstrators according to the organizers, 2,200 according to the police, left the city center to go in front of the rectorate, with slogans such as “My sign is rotten, your protocol too” or “Renew the air, fire Blanquer “.
Teachers and National Education staff on strike demonstrate against the management of the health crisis at school, January 13, 2022 in Marseille
© AFP – CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU
“I’m on strike because I want to give meaning back to my job,” Margot, kindergarten director in Rennes, told AFP. “There I find myself doing a lot of administrative work, mistreating children, abandoning my students in class, having to justify protocols to families that I don’t believe in. It’s time for it to stop”.
In Marseille, where the “closed school” posters were numerous on the doors of establishments, the morning procession counted 2,200 demonstrators according to the police headquarters. The lack of means was highlighted on the signs: “less contempt, more means”, “Blanquer we want a nurse” or even “order, order, disorder”.
– “I understand the exasperation” –
Beyond education professionals, the high school student movements FIDL, MNL and La Voix lycéenne, as well as the FCPE, the first organization of parents of students, have also joined the movement, the latter inviting parents to mobilize.
Teachers and National Education staff on strike demonstrate against the management of the health crisis at school, January 13, 2022 in Paris
© AFP – Thomas SAMSON
The Unaape (National Union of Autonomous Associations of Parents of Students) also called “to support in solidarity the movement of all educational teams”, according to its president Patrick Salaün.
In Paris or Lyon, parents showed their support for the strike, even if it entails organizational difficulties for them.
“I understand the exasperation of the teachers,” Carine, a mother of a student, told AFP in front of an elementary school in northeastern Paris.
“It’s true that it’s painful, I understand that the staff are fed up. Even the director must surely work during the weekends to do her job, they can’t take it anymore people”, also believes François Lordenimus, parent of a pupil, in front of a school in Caluire-et-Cuire (Rhône).
Since 2000, the strongest mobilization in education dates from May 13, 2003, when teachers went on strike to protest against François Fillon’s pension reform. The rate of strikers had then reached 74% in the first degree, 70.5% in college, 65% in general and technological high school and 62.2% in vocational high school.
Teachers and National Education staff on strike demonstrate against the management of the health crisis at school, January 13, 2022 in Bordeaux
© AFP – Philippe LOPEZ
“For many years, we have not seen such a compact and unitary set of unions, both primary and secondary, but also management,” according to education historian Claude Lelièvre in an interview with Liberation.
The tension is rising, with a Minister of Education, once a good student of the government and today in turmoil. Faced with calls for resignation, government spokesman Gabriel Attal assured Wednesday that the executive was “very supportive” of his minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.
“Either we want to create controversy, which is quite easy given the difficulties posed by this virus, or we seek national unity around our school”, defended the Minister of Education on Wednesday before the Senate.
All rights of reproduction and representation reserved. © (2022) Agence France-Presse