Teaching children and protecting them, these are the missions of the school.
This Saturday morning, the day after the terrible attack which cost the life of a teacher, the Minister of National Education also pledged to protect adults.
In a video message sent to "all teachers in France", Jean-Michel Blanquer said this Saturday that the State will be alongside teachers and staff of National Education to "protect" them.
Samuel Paty embodied the Republic in its most noble: his school.
He was cowardly murdered by the enemies of freedom.
We will be united, firm and resolute: pic.twitter.com/gKtDoX4LpV
- Jean-Michel Blanquer (@jmblanquer) October 17, 2020
“This professor was assassinated because of what he stood for: the Republic.
He was assassinated because of what he embodied: knowledge in the service of critical thinking, that is to say in the service of building free and enlightened citizens, the heart of what we do when we are let's do school, ”he said, recalling how“ school is the backbone of the Republic ”.
Adding: "We hold each of our fundamental freedoms like life, freedom of expression, freedom of worship, freedom to believe or not to believe".
"The most essential profession"
"I will be, and our country will be at your side to protect you, to allow you to do your job which is the most essential job, that of transmitting to our children the knowledge and values which are our common good", declares t he in this video, recorded shortly before receiving, with Prime Minister Jean Castex, the unions of teachers and parents at his ministry.
At the end of this meeting, the unions welcomed a meeting which "allowed to share the fear of the educational community", according to Benoît Teste, secretary general of the FSU.
“The emotion is very strong,” said Frédéric Marchand, general secretary of Unsa Education.
"The objective is not to give in to the fear which would be to no longer seek to educate in freedom of expression".
Also speaking at the end of this meeting, Jean-Michel Blanquer pledged to give "a strict, powerful framework for the start of the school year" on November 2.
“There will be a minute of silence, most certainly, as well as pedagogical and educational work, a strong framework.
[…] On these subjects there must be no vagueness ”.
All instructions will be given "so that there are no blind spots for the Republic".
“Fear is not our religion,” he also said.