How National Education handles reports of attacks on secularism

Almost a week after the attack at the Arras high school, during which Professor Dominique Bernard was killed, the Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal, announced on France 2, Thursday October 19, that“a little over 500” Disturbances and protests were recorded during the minute of silence organized in schools across the country. Or around 300 fewer than in 2020, on the occasion of the tribute to Professor Samuel Paty, beheaded in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine.

Three years ago, 136 of these cases were transmitted to public prosecutors. Today, the Ministry of National Education is toughening its tone: “All these reports are the subject of a systematic referral to the public prosecutor and a disciplinary procedure for the students concerned. For the most serious cases, which resemble threats or an apology for terrorism, immediate exclusion of students is requested from school heads, without delay.” This precautionary measure was until now not the usual route in educational establishments when an attack on secularism was reported.

Sometimes difficult cases to decide

It is still necessary to define what constitutes an attack on secularism and what justifies a report. The task is delicate, underlines Marie-Laure Tirelle, delegate in charge of secularism for the SE-Unsa union: “At the time when I was teaching PE in 4th grade, some young girls said they had a chlorine allergy so they couldn’t take part in swimming lessons. I suspected that there was a religious question, that she didn’t want to not appear in front of boys in swimsuits. But I had no proof, and the medical certificate prevented me from making a report.”

In other cases, the question is resolved more quickly: “When a Jehovah’s Witness family told their child that he could not read magic texts at the risk of becoming impure, and that there were story-telling classes on the middle school curriculum, the teacher told him brought up”says Marie*, academy inspector.

“Most of the time, attacks on secularism are not linked to suspicions of radicalization.”

Marie*, academy inspector

at franceinfo

To make this report, teachers have two tools: digitally, via an online form, or hierarchically, which can result in a “establishment” from the principal. The latter will summarize the incident which will be transmitted to the academic authority. Marie*, however, encourages teachers to go through their head of school in order to promote internal communication. They are supposed to refer to the Secularism Plan in schools and educational establishments published in June 2022, and the memo of August 31, which specifies in particular the ban on wearing the abaya at school.

A vademecum as a guide

The policy of the Ministry of National Education on attacks on secularism is guided by a body created in 2018: the Council of Elders on Secularism and the Values ​​of the Republic. One of its members, Christophe Capuano, explains that their recommendations are based on reports from the rectorates. From these, the Council “proposes to take measures which will relieve the heads of establishments. For example, we have specified in the new version of the secularism vademecum which will be released next November the ban on the wearing of the abaya”. This document specifies the legislative aspect.

“The interest of legal is that it avoids emotion, it sets a framework.”

Marie*, academy inspector

at franceinfo

However, emotion remains a material with which teachers must deal on a daily basis, when dealing with their students. “I had a Muslim student in 4th grade who, when we talked about contraception and periods, covered his ears and said that it didn’t concern him. And it was resolved directly within the of the class, with his friends, who helped me make him feel involved”relates Alice*, a teacher specializing in Localized units for educational inclusion (ULIS).

To help heads of establishments better identify and manage attacks on secularism, the ministry claims that it provides them with half a day of training. The 14,000 headteachers and assistants received it in 2022, according to National Education. They are notably subjected to practical cases, linked to current events. “At the moment, we are offering them teaching challenges in particular: on the ground, there are many who are linked to radical evangelicals”says one of the trainers.

Police alerted to the most serious cases

In the event of imminent danger, “the police and gendarmerie services are systematically called”provides for a circular of November 9, 2022. Contacted by franceinfo, the Ministry of National Education specifies that the attacks reported to the Ministry of the Interior are those which concern the apology of terrorism: “The instructions are to contact the police services, and then they are the ones who carry out the treatment. In the most serious cases, the academic director of National Education notifies the prefect.” A representative of the administration can also contact the prosecutor directly in the event of a threat, via a complaint template available.

“Acts requiring legal action are not our daily life.”

Maud Ruelle-Personnaz, joint general secretary of Snes-FSU in Versailles

at franceinfo

The principal of a high school in Burgundy-Franche-Comté confides that after reporting an “establishment fact”, it happened on several occasions that “territorial intelligence is leading the investigation”. Can these investigations lead to an S file? “I can’t say with certainty, but the goal remains to cross-reference the different services”, replies the head of the establishment. An academic secularism referent is more categorical: “No, no attack on secularism leads to an S file.”

For staff who are victims of threats linked to secularism, a protection system can be put in place. The law of August 24, 2021 also strengthened the protection of teachers and public officials, with the so-called “Samuel Paty” amendment and the creation of the offense of separatism. “When there is a threat to the teacher, functional protection is automatically deployed”, assures a member of the Values ​​of the Republic team. A statement that Yves* disagrees with: “I received an Islamist death threat on social networks. Student identified, incident reported via the form, disciplinary council, the student was saved by the principal and I was crushed because it was not necessary hinder his education. There was no sanction, no protection.”

Not always concrete action

For the least alarming cases, the departmental Values ​​of the Republic (VAR) team, placed under the direct responsibility of the rector of the academy, is responsible for providing a proportionate response. One of their members declared “first systematically check if there has been a dialogue” between the student concerned and the teaching team. Subsequently, it refers the author of the report to tools, such as the secularism guide.

Maud Ruelle-Personnaz was not completely convinced by this answer : “In the case of a report which had been reported to the rectorate, documents to be consulted online were sent to the teams of the establishment concerned, who would have liked an educational intervention. It had been explicitly requested, but nothing was done. was organized by the rectorate.” In 2019, according to a report from the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research, around 85% of responses to reports for “attacks on secularism” were limited to the transmission of tools.

However, a member of the VAR team told franceinfo that“she sometimes goes there to re-explain the charter of secularism in the establishment, to act as a mediator”. He ensures that the departmental team also advises National Education staff on the sanction to adopt: “In cases of repeat offense, the student may be expelled.”

Complicated decisions to make

According to several testimonies collected by franceinfo, a form of disconnection between what teachers experience on the ground and the responses provided to them by the government is felt. “Monday, during the two hours of discussion before the tribute, a colleague said that he did not like the sweeping speeches which risked stigmatizing Muslim students”, reports Arthur*, history and geography teacher in a high school in Yonne. However, these questions remain anxiety-provoking for some National Education staff.

“One in two teachers say they have already censored themselves in their teaching for fear of reprisals.”

Gabriel Attal, Minister of Education

before the Senate

Yves*, professor of history and geography and former secularism representative, considers that there are other reasons which explain this “self-censorship” on the part of teachers: “Reporting remains difficult, it is not the practice, either out of fear, or out of attachment to students, or out of fear of the institution.” Alice* confirms this: “There culture of ‘no waves’ has left its mark. And now, we are being asked to wet our shirts, but inevitably, the teachers have become cautious.”