Education: in Allier, the experiment with wearing a uniform is controversial

Will the uniform appear in French schools? This is the wish of the Minister of National Education who wishes to propose an experiment in several departments. Allier and the town of Cusset volunteered. A decision that is not unanimous.

Wearing a uniform to go to class could become everyday life for French students, as part of an experiment announced by the Minister of National Education. Gabriel Attal explained: “ I will announce very soon, between now and the holidays, a large-scale experiment, with a certain number of establishments in different local communities. They will experiment with the uniform in our country on a large scale ».

The Allier department has volunteered to wear uniforms in college. The commune of Cusset goes further. She wants to experience it from primary school. Opinions differ when it comes to educational establishments. A mother says: “ This would help me a lot because, given the number of children, it wouldn’t be any worse and there would be fewer machines to do all the time. It might be nice “. A father adds: “ On my child’s side, I don’t think this will be very well accepted. It’s from another time “. A student confides: “ We won’t really be able to do what we want, so we will lose freedom, in quotes ».

On the union side, anger is brewing. They denounce a lack of consultation with the teaching staff. Delphine Moulinot, SE-UNSA and UNSA education departmental secretary, believes: “ Many colleagues felt violated and lost the confidence they had in the municipality in which they work. They had absolutely not been informed of this desire “. Jérôme Duboeuf, co-secretary of South Allier education, specifies: “ If we must fight against inequalities, it is not by hiding them, it is not by putting a uniform on students, it is rather by acting on the root of the problem. There are plenty of other solutions and financial guidelines to put in place, other than the uniform ».

The municipality of Cusset defends itself and affirms that this is only an evaluation phase: discussions are underway with the establishments concerned. Jean-Sébastien Laloy, mayor (LR) of Cusset and 1st vice-president of the Allier Departmental Council, underlines: “ It’s an experiment. We are in favor of testing this measure, of observing it, of taking stock. We will see each other again in two years to see if this measure is effective, if it has real benefits for our schools or if it has brought nothing more, and is useless. In this case, we will stop. I believe that at this stage, we must not be divided, we must say that there is a measure. It is interesting and worth experiencing ».
More than 13,000 middle school students are affected in the department and 900 schoolchildren in Cusset. Gabriel Attal will reveal the details of his plan by the end of year holidays.