in front of the Ministry of the Economy, teachers of Seine-Saint-Denis continue the mobilization

Nearly 150 teachers, parents and unionists from Seine-Saint-Denis mobilized again on Friday in front of the Ministry of the Economy, to demand an “emergency plan” for education.

The mobilization of teachers and parents of Seine-Saint-Denis continues. Friday March 29 at the beginning of the afternoon, there were nearly 150 gathered in front of the Ministry of the Economy, supported by different unions, to demand an “emergency plan” of 358 million euros at Bercy. Faced with the lack of staff and the deterioration of buildings, the department’s educational staff have been sounding the alarm for a month.

“Children only eat one meal a day”

Zoé Buttsbak is a history and geography professor at a college in Aubervilliers. For her, nothing is going well. “In my classroom, for example, I have one or two students, every year in sixth grade, who do not have glasses and who have difficulty keeping up, because there are no longer any school doctors in charge. Seine-Saint-Denis, she laments. The teacher also denounces the lack of social workers in the department: “In a college that I know very well, we went from 45% scholarship recipients to 25% scholarship recipients, because there haven’t been any for three years.”

“If there is no longer anyone to help fill out the paperwork, there are no more scholarships. So I have kids for whom the canteen meal is the only meal of the day”

Zoé Buttsbak, professor of history and geography in a college in Aubervilliers

at franceinfo

To compensate for the lack of teachers, the unions are calling for the creation of more than 5,000 teaching positions. According to them, a student in the department misses an average of one year of classes throughout their education, due to a lack of replaced teachers. And to obtain it, the latter, supported by the parents of the students, say they are ready to make the movement last. Even if it means going on strike in a month, for the start of the school year.

“There was an emergency plan in Marseille and Mayotte. Seine-Saint-Denis is the poorest department in mainland France: we need it too.”

Zoé Buttsbak, history and geography teacher from Seine-Saint-Denis

at franceinfo

Gilbert, retired, has a son in third grade at a college in Pantin. He finds this situation unfair for his boy who is taking the certificate this year, and intends to continue the fight. “It’s the kids who are drinking, and we don’t give them any chance. It’s not because we come from a more or less privileged background that we don’t have the ability to work.”

The mobilization is due to continue on Saturday March 30. Dozens of demonstrations, with school staff and parents, are expected throughout the department.