“Once again, we are not going in the best interests of the child”, reacted Carla Dugault, co-president of the FCPE, Tuesday January 11 on franceinfo, while Jean Castex announced a relaxation of the health protocol in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic in schools. “We would have preferred, for the little ones, saliva tests”, she explained in particular. The FCPE, which “don’t want schools to close” but who wants “keep them open but safe”, will demonstrate Thursday, January 13 with striking teachers, “a historic meeting”, to say “stop”, “that enough is enough”, because “everyone is exhausted and very angry”, according to Carla Dugault.
>> Covid-19: why elementary and secondary school teachers are called on strike on January 13
franceinfo: if the child is in contact, he will no longer need to do three tests, including a PCR or antigen in a pharmacy, but he will be able to use three self-tests delivered free of charge in pharmacies upon certification from the school. Will it make life for families a bit easier?
Carla Dugault: This will simplify a little at the administrative and logistical level, but it is not in the best interests of the child. These measures announced by the Prime Minister yesterday do not put the well-being of children at the heart when it is the concern of parents and of the entire educational community. We will therefore continue to do three self-tests in the children’s noses. We would have preferred, for the little ones, saliva tests. It’s less painful.
Parents will no longer have to pick up their children immediately if there is contact, what do you think?
This is not serious.
“We cannot, when in a class there is a contact case, wait until the end of the day and let the virus spread. We need tests done in the morning on the school premises by professionals.”
Carla Dugault, co-president of the FCPEto franceinfo
In addition, we are told between 10 million and 11 million self-tests delivered in pharmacies, but there are more than 6 million children in the 1st degree, so they will not be enough. We are told a beautiful story that parents no longer believe.
What do you wish ? Close schools?
We don’t want schools to close, we want to keep them open, but safe. Today, the means requested for a very long time by the FCPE have not been put in place, which is why we have reached such a catastrophic situation. We are asking for CO2 sensors, free masks for children, a screening campaign for each contact, within the premises and via saliva tests. We also ask for soap, which is not the case everywhere in all schools. We ask for the adaptation of school programs, because there is health but we must not forget the educational component.
You will demonstrate Thursday alongside the striking teachers, it had not happened for how long?
It is true that Thursday will be a historic meeting because today the entire educational community is saying stop, that enough is enough. Everyone is exhausted and very angry. Thursday, it will be very followed by the parents, they are the first to have asked to demonstrate so, yes, we will be many.