Students with Disabilities Denied Access to Science Rooms at Simone Signoret High School Due to Elevator Breakdown

Since the start of the school year, three students in wheelchairs enrolled at the Simone Signoret high school have been unable to access the science rooms due to an elevator breakdown.

Since the start of the school year, three students with disabilities who use wheelchairs have no longer been able to access the science rooms at the Simone Signoret high school in Vaulx-le-Pénil (Seine et Marne). The elevator providing access is broken.

For Rachid and two of his classmates, it is therefore impossible to follow the science practical work (TP), which takes place in a room on the first floor of the establishment. “It’s problematic, given that at the baccalaureate, for those who have scientific specialties, there is a TP,” recalls the high school student, speaking to BFM Paris Ile-de-France.

This is also his case. “It bothers me (…) because the practical work we are doing now, maybe they will fail at the baccalaureate next year,” adds the teenager.

The region in charge of repairs

While waiting for the elevator to be repaired, several makeshift adjustments were put in place, such as broadcasting classes by video or moving practical work to the ground floor. But these solutions lead to other difficulties.

A student indicates that he is not always aware of room changes. “It’s stressful because missing ten minutes when you only have an hour takes time from the program,” regrets Elies.

The Créteil rectorate affirms that the repair of the elevator is “the responsibility of the region, in charge of the building”. But for the moment she has not yet intervened.

“The entire educational community is quite desperate to see this inertia in the face of a situation which is urgent,” confirms Yannick Trigance, regional councilor (PS) in the opposition.

“It is about the right to education. The region must bring educational establishments up to standard, to respect accessibility rules. This is no longer the case today in this establishment,” continues the advisor. regional.

For its part, the region indicates that it has committed to paying the 72,000 euros to repair the elevator as soon as the school has sent it a final estimate.