On November 1, Pierre Massi began a hunger strike to contest his suspension by the National Education. “I feel a little lighter, I must have lost five kilos, it is especially the beginnings of the hunger strike which are organized, afterwards I think it is a little more stable”. He decided to stop eating to denounce a suspension. After having denounced the disturbances concerning the attribution of exemptions for 13 families, the director of the Jean Mermoz school, located in the 8th arrondissement of Marseille, was suspended from his duties. It was on September 13 that the academic inspectorate decided to suspend the director, as well as the activities of the parents’ association, the time of an administrative investigation which can last four months.
For the start of the 2022 school year, 13 exemptions, including 10 in the small kindergarten section, were granted for the Jean Mermoz school, while these numbers were already full in the classes. And it is this staffing problem that bothers Pierre Massi: “When we grant exemptions in a school, the directors must be absolutely solicited. We have no problem accepting new children, our school is open, but the problem here is the small sections. ‘s all the difference, because there was no more room in the dormitories, especially for the little ones’ naps.
Overcrowded classes
The director of the establishment also explains that this overstaffing is particularly problematic during an epidemic. The beds are found very close together. And Pierre Massi cites as an example the day of September 8 when he had to organize the evacuation of 40 children due to a case of Covid-19.
Regarding these attributions, Pierre Massi evokes “banana practices”, with parents from the area “cleared” the day before the start of the school year to make room for others. For its part, the rectorate is not of this opinion and reproaches “A dysfunction in the management of the school” and “An unsuitable position” of the principal in relation to the hierarchy and to the school’s partners.
The rectorate also specifies that” an administrative investigation is underway following “dysfunctions in the management of the school which was entrusted to him, and problems vis-à-vis his hierarchy, and the school’s partners”.
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