It will not be a regular start to the school year. Monday, November 2, the students return to school in a particular context of confinement, health crisis, and only a few days after the Conflans-Sainte-Honorine attack.
“Our children cannot be deprived of education for a long time (…) nurseries, schools, colleges and high schools will therefore remain open with reinforced health protocols”, Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday October 28. Canteens and daycare services are also maintained.
Four days before the start of the school year and the return from the All Saints holidays, the government issued this new reinforced health protocol.
#Covid19 | Schools, colleges and high schools: all students resume classes from Monday, November 2, with a reinforced health protocol.
???? https://t.co/4kLO3qEXBz pic.twitter.com/TG5muVG74E– Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports (@education_gouv) October 30, 2020
Wearing the “general public” mask is now compulsory for pupils from the first grade. Classes and other premises must be ventilated, disinfected, mixing between pupils from different groups limited, physical distance respected.
SNES-FSU Corse expresses its concerns in a Facebook post. “Two problems arise: the tribute to Samuel Paty and the application of the new anti-Covid protocol in the establishments”, explains the SNES.
Tribute to Samuel Paty
The start of the school year, which was to be postponed to 10 a.m. to prepare a tribute to Samuel Paty, will finally take place at the usual time. A minute of silence will however be observed at 11 a.m., in France as in several European countries.On Friday, the rector of the Corsican academy, Julie Benetti, met with trade unions, including SNES-FSU, to prepare for the start of the school year.
“Regarding the tribute to Samuel Paty, the Rector justified the reversal of the Minister’s position, who reduced the tribute by eliminating the time for exchanges between teachers from 8 am to 10 am, and by bringing forward the start of the school year. students at 8 a.m. and no longer at 10 a.m., due to safety concerns“.
However, the union explains that teachers need “to talk to each other and prepare in a calm and dignified manner the tribute to our colleague Samuel Paty”.
A problematic health protocol
For the SNES, the mixing of students is “inevitable”, especially in high school, physical distancing “illusory” in rooms of 30 or more pupils, ventilation and disinfection of the rooms “not always done for lack of CdC staff”.
The solution of 1/2 groups (…) still does not find favor in the eyes of the ministry.
“The solution of 1/2 groups, demanded by the SNES since last spring, still does not find favor in the eyes of the ministry, despite the acceleration of the epidemic. The same goes for the adjustments of programs”, regrets the SNES-FSU of Corsica.
The union points to the problem of people at risk and regrets the absence of a new “list of pathologies allowing colleagues to benefit from teleworking”.
The Ministry of Education must stop playing with the health of staff and students.
For its part, the CGT Educ’Action de Corse expressed its anger in a press release published on Thursday, October 29: “The Ministry of Education must stop playing with the health of staff and students”.
The trade union organization speaks of“sanitary irresponsibility” and exposes the same concerns: “the refusal to provide staff with professional quality masks in sufficient number” or “the refusal of the systematic placement of vulnerable personnel and people living with vulnerable people in teleworking or special leave of absence“.
Request for postponement of the start of the school year
The APC, Associu di Parenti Corsi, has requested a postponement of the start of Monday. “Providing measures three days before does not seem credible to us”, she explains in a statement released on Saturday.The APC mentions in particular the problems in high schools: the fact that the canteens “can not“welcome everyone “with the influx of new students who have been eating outdoors until now”, the risk of contamination high.
The association proposes the establishment of“distance learning quickly, with groups for the majority of subjects”.
“We said that a certain number of families did not intend to put their children back in school, because of the risk related to the pathologies of the children or the parents”, announces the APC.
The rector of Corsica “ready to evolve”
According to this association of parents of pupils, the rector of Corsica would be “ready to evolve on a case-by-case basis in high schools and, more generally, much more drastic measures could intervene quickly”.
Regarding children or parents suffering from pathologies: “the distance or home lessons would be provided depending on the health reasons invoked and the procedures in progress“.
The rector would also agree to set up “a territorial consultation unit with the CdC, the ARS and education partners for the monitoring and information of this crisis”.
Concerns about security
The Associu di Parenti Corsi also expresses its concern around the “threat of Islamic terrorism on schools”.
After the assassination of Professor Samuel Paty on October 16 and the attack in Nice on October 29, the government raised the Vigipirate plan to an “emergency attack”. Emmanuel Macron announced that the protection of places of worship and schools would be reinforced.
I suggested to my counterparts who are ministers of education in Europe to join in the tribute paid to Samuel Paty next Monday and in November.
In France, as in several European countries, a minute of silence will be respected.
Thanks to everyone who responded to this call: https://t.co/CMnefWygs4– Jean-Michel Blanquer (@jmblanquer) October 31, 2020
“The rector told us that security measures would be taken and she explained to us how the tribute to Samuel Paty would be made on Monday”, says the APC.
“If any incidents did occur, they would be communicated to us and that we would not put ‘dust under the carpet’ with the all too well known” no waves “”.
Free masks for primary school in Bastia
First response to these concerns, Saturday, the city of Bastia announced the free distribution of 2 reusable masks 50 times for each primary student.
???? From Monday, the City will distribute 2 reusable masks 50 times free of charge to each primary school student in Bastia
✅ Lighten the financial burden of the obligation on families
???? Offer everyone the safety of a mask to UNS1 standards, manufactured by a Corsican company– City of Bastia (@Cita_Bastia) October 31, 2020
“To save families from the financial burden of wearing a mask, I asked the services of the city of Bastia to provide every student in Bastia’s primary schools with reusable masks.”, said Pierre Savelli, mayor of Bastia.
For other cities, like Porticcio, parents must provide masks for their children.
Transport maintained
In order to facilitate students’ access to schools, the Deputy Director of the Railways of Corsica, Jacques Chibaudel, ensured that all shuttles were maintained. “on the suburbs of Ajaccio and Bastia”.
From a concern to welcome our users (high school students, workers, etc.) in the best conditions, all shuttles are #maintenance on the suburbs of Ajaccio and Bastia. In addition, we will considerably increase our transport capacity by adding railcars (1/2)
– Jacques CHIBAUDEL (@JChibaudel) October 31, 2020
“In addition, we will considerably increase our transport capacity by adding railcars”, he announces on Twitter.
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