After the incidents that occurred on December 9 at College of the Republic of Bobigny, the plant was marked by fresh strike action on Tuesday. On Friday, the education team members wanted to play their right of withdrawal after a violent altercation between a plastic arts teacher and four students on Thursday.
That morning, three fifth graders and one fourth grader who were lounging noisily in a hallway were scolded by a teacher. According to the testimonies of the staff, the four youngsters then complained about school life before returning to the scene to do battle with the teacher. The school life team then intervened to calm the situation. The teacher, who had to lock himself in his room to protect himself, was arrested until the school holidays.
“We want all four to go before a disciplinary commission”
On Friday, the staff wanted to exercise their right of withdrawal, regretting that the four students were able to return to class normally on Thursday afternoon. “The right of withdrawal was refused by the academic management, most of the staff – teachers and school life – went on strike on Monday,” describes a teacher of this institution classified as a strengthened priority education network. This Tuesday, the movement was renewed by school life employees. “Only one sanction was issued against one of the four students who had insulted the principal during the quarrel. We want all four of them to go before a disciplinary board. We cannot accept such behavior in a college of the Republic”, whispers a member of school life.
This Wednesday, a demonstration will be held in front of the Directorate of National Education Departmental Services in Bobigny. “We are hoping to have a hearing with the Academic Director to secure the employment of an additional Principal Education Adviser, as we are unable to do our job properly with the current staff,” the school life person continues. . The team also wants a REP+ bonus to be awarded to educational assistants (AEDs). “Currently, it is limited to teachers and CPEs. However, the AEDs are the first interlocutors of the students, often they are the ones who suffer the most violence ”, she describes.
For its part, the academic leadership recalls that one of the four students “has already been sanctioned”. For the other three “the procedure is underway and falls within the institution’s competence”, he specifies, adding that the granting of REP + bonuses to DAEs does not fall within its “prerogatives”. He also recalls that “the distribution of CPE posts will be part of the preparation work for the next school year”.
