This Thursday, March 17, teachers from the Montchapet high school in Dijon (Côte-d’Or) called for the occupation of the establishment for part of the evening. They denounce the reduction in the number of hours of lessons and the increase in the number of students in the classes.
“Overcrowded classes, students, teachers sacrificed. ” The banners hung on the gate of the Lycée Montchapet (Dijon) set the tone. This Thursday, March 17 at 6 p.m., around fifty teachers, students and parents’ representatives gathered in front of the establishment. They denounce the budget cuts, which lead to a reduction in the number of course hours, as well as an increase in class size.
“Students, not numbers! Students not numbers!“, chants the crowd massed in front of the gate of the establishment. Applause and cries of protest are punctuated by the sound of the siren of the megaphone. In the line of vehicles waiting next to it, several motorists sound their horns to testify their support.
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Then the demonstration enters the grounds of the school. “Means for Montchapet, means at the height“, claims the group.stated objective is simple: the occupation of the building for part of the evening.
The procession crosses the courtyard, before heading towards the teachers’ room. Teenagers and adults stop in front of the banner stretched at the back of the room. “DHG of misery = Big anger“, can we read there.
“It’s not normal to be here“, protests Pierre, student of first technological.We already had shortcomings before, now it will be even worse with fewer hours.“His comrades Alésia, Michel, Caly and Tom, agree.
We have already lost hours with the Covid. We are still being taken away from it, when it should be the opposite.
A student from Lycée Montchapet
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Another contentious point: the number of students per class. Two classes, one of the first technological and one of the general terminal, must close at the start of the school year. For adolescents, their learning conditions would again be degraded.
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An opinion shared by Maxence Languet, the student representative on the board of directors. “We want more hours next year for decent working conditions“, he hammers.
Little by little, the teenagers leave the room. The teachers remain, determined to defend their cause to the end. Among them, Cécile Fassier, professor of philosophy, and one of the organizers of the movement.
“We’re here because we love what we do“, she asserts. “The students, we can pile them up to 35 in classes, that’s not the problem. But on does not want to teach in such dispositions.“
We are facing institutional mistreatment, both for teachers and for students.
Cécile Fassier, professor of philosophy
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In total, nearly 200 hours of teaching have been cut in seven consecutive years. For the group of teachers, the hourly allocation should be inflated by 100 hours, and the classes should not exceed 30 students.
The evening progresses, class councils end and new teachers join those already present. On the tables, gougères, aperitif biscuits and drinks serve as supplies.
Informal discussions suddenly give way to militant considerations. Everyone is consulting on the way forward over the next few days. On Tuesday 22, a human chain will be built during recess. On Wednesday 23, an inter-establishment gathering will take place in front of the rectorate. And on Friday 25, to close the week, a delegation of teachers will be welcomed by the Deputy Secretary General to the Rector.
If this meeting does not succeed, the teachers plan to refuse the missions essential to the proper functioning of the school. “Among other things, the functions of head teachers. When we struggle as we do, to get there, we lose the desire. It’s really the denial of our work“, concludes Cécile Fassier.
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