While in the late afternoon, the Association of Mayors of the Department is organizing a demonstration in front of the Prefecture to protest against the Peillon/Hamon reform on school rhythms, other voices of opposition to this project are being heard, even if for different reasons.
Yesterday, it was the turn of the CGT (see statement below) to protest against the lack of consultation, all while embracing the pedagogical principles that inspired it.
From the National Assembly, Deputy Rudy Salles, spokesperson for the UDI on education issues, sends a message of hope, mentioning a “first gesture of republican reconciliation” (?).
All refer to the best interest of school children: In fact, they seem rather forgotten and serve as a pretext for partisan clashes that do not honor the promoters.
CGT Statement: The CGT and its unions (Education, Local Authorities, Animation, etc.) did not wait for Mr. Estrosi and the mayors of the department to oppose the Peillon and Hamon decrees on school rhythms.
The positioning and political agitation of the mayor of Nice unfortunately do not advance the situation: no substantiated analysis, no favorable response is provided to students, families, and staff.
We witnessed during the last follow-up committee a attempt to interpret and instrumentalize the arguments of the participants.
The mayor is trying to justify his refusal to take a stance by the assent of the educational community which is positioned against the reform.
We denounce this irresponsible attitude and place Messrs. Estrosi and Hamon back-to-back. Their respective decisions do not meet the expectations of users and staff. For our part, we remain convinced of the necessity of a reform whose aim is to:
- reduce children’s fatigue;
- promote cultural and sports activities;
- strengthen the partnership among all members of the educational community.
An attitude far from a deep political reflection about the School, its necessary transformation for the success of all.
We denounce the deplorable management of this file which – one month before the end of classes and three months before the start of the new school year – keeps all users and workers of Nice schools in uncertainty and makes it impossible for them to organize for the next school year.
We denounce a political manipulation of this file by an elected official who – let us recall – had voted for the four-day school week during Minister Darcos’s tenure.
For Rudy Salles: “on the ground, there are three major difficulties in implementing this reform:
• 77% of local authorities experience organizational and financial difficulties,
• The concern and opposition is very strong among ‘school actors’ (teachers, parents, and municipal staff). In Nice, almost all school boards have voted against this project!
• Lastly and foremost, there remains the unresolved problem of its lack of sustainable funding.
Currently, despite the ‘easements’, the entire school and associative community, and local elected officials remain tense and mobilized against this reform. This ideological Gordian knot must find a quick and consensual solution for the well-being of our children with the free choice of each, to apply or not this reform.”
