teachers and parents mobilized throughout France to say “no to the sorting school”

All the representatives of the main teachers’ and parents’ unions gathered on Saturday in processions throughout France against the “clash of knowledge” reform.

Demonstrations are taking place in Paris, Nantes, Limoges, Nîmes and Périgueux on Saturday May 25 to oppose the reform of the “shock of knowledge”, wanted by the government. Teachers, unions and parents are particularly protesting against the establishment of level groups in college.

In Paris, demonstrators set out early Saturday afternoon from the Place de la Sorbonne, towards the Place de la Bastille. At the head of the procession, a large banner sends a clear message to the government: “No to the clash of knowledge”, noted a France Inter journalist on site. All the representatives of the main teachers’ and parents’ unions are gathered in the procession, the reform being unanimously opposed to it.

Basically, the demonstrators believe that grouping the weakest students together goes against the objective of diversity that they defend for public schools. “Middle school is a pivotal period for children, they are already stigmatized enough as it is”, underlines Laëtitia, mother of two children. She is worried about her establishment in Val-d’Oise, where many students come from disadvantaged social classes. “If we put them in groups, they will not be able to communicate with each other and there will no longer be any diversity at all since the children who already arrive with difficulties will continue with their difficulties”she explains.

In terms of form, this measure cannot be applied due to lack of resources, add the demonstrators. There are not enough French and mathematics teachers to create small groups, they insist. According to unions and parents, we should instead reduce the number of students in all classes, and to do this, increase salaries.

In the city center of Nantes, 400 parents and teachers from Loire-Atlantique are also participating in the demonstration on Saturday afternoon against the “shock of knowledge” reform and against level groups. A demonstration which takes place with music, with a fanfare and in particular a rap against the reform, can be seen in a video published on X by France Bleu Loire Océan.

Around a hundred teachers and parents also gathered in front of the Limoges rectorate on Saturday morning, according to France Bleu Limousin. “No, at the sorting school” was written in red and black letters on a banner. Beyond the level groups, the demonstrators are opposed to the “prep-second”, a class intended for students who failed the certificate at the end of the third.

In Dijon, around a hundred people demonstrated, indicates France Bleu Bourgogne. Among them, Jérôme Naime, principal of a college and academic secretary of the SNPDEN (National Union of Management Personnel of National Education) also denounces “the unique outfit that we also call uniform”. She goes according to him “against the values ​​of diversity and living together”.

The school is a sanctuary where students can come whatever their beliefs, their origins or their convictions, and that is the spirit of the Republic!

Jérôme Naime, principal of a college and academic secretary of SNPDEN

at France Bleu Burgundy

In Nîmes, around fifty teachers and trade unionists demonstrated against the reform on Saturday morning. “This reform draws the contours of an outdated and conservative model”said Maya Amer-Moussa, of the SNES-FSU union, at the microphone of France Bleu Gard Lozère.

In Guéret, around fifty people demonstrated in front of the Creuse prefecture. “We don’t want a clash of knowledge, we want a clash of resources, and we want respect from the educational community”insists Luc Marquès, the departmental secretary of SNUIPP-FSU in Creuse. “In almost all instances, we voted against these level groups. But Gabriel Attal continues despite everything”regrets Luc Marquès.

The demonstrators were around fifty in Perpignan and around 70 in Périgueux, report France Bleu Roussillon and France Bleu Périgord.