Raphaël Doan is a professor of classical literature, a former student of the Ecole normale supérieure and ENA. He published
When Rome invented populism
(ed. Du Cerf, 2019).
After the violent assassination of the history professor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, the President of the Republic called to "
unite
".
The Minister of National Education affirmed that "
The Republic will never, never, never back down from any terror or intimidation
".
But it is a long way from words to deeds.
Nothing will happen without a revolution within the administration of National Education.
Because today, the daily policy of the ministry actively dissuades teachers who have the courage, precisely, not to back down.
It also dissuades them from expressing themselves on the difficulties they encounter.
I am not a secondary school teacher myself.
But in my career, I have met many young teachers, certified, agrégés, contractors, who teach the subjects that have become the most sensitive - French, philosophy, history, civic and moral education - in all types of establishments and all types of classes.
All are telling, in private, stories similar to the one that sparked the bloody events on Friday.
Classes - and not only in priority areas - which, almost unanimously, believe that Charlie Hebdo journalists got what they deserved, and take offense to a teacher defending them.
To read also:
Jean-Éric Schoettl: "Terrorism, Islamism, immigration: a right hermetic to the popular will?"
Majorities of students unable to understand that it is abnormal that the high school student Mila is threatened with death.
A high school student shouting “
Allah Akbar
” as he climbs onto his table at the start of a lesson on secularism.
Others who regularly and brutally call their comrades to order if they have the misfortune to say something - on abortion, secularism, marriage for all - that they consider contrary to their religion.
Classes on the Shoah or the contested Armenian genocide, when they can take place, by young people convinced of having the truth.
And finally more or less open threats, veiled intimidation to students who tell their teacher without blinking that he deserves to have his throat cut.
All this, some professors today dare to say it, but they are only the tip of the iceberg, because many young teachers cannot afford to point it out in public.
This is the reason why I allow myself to speak for them.
“
We are at the front, we see all the threats to society, but we cannot say anything.
They know too well, because they have experienced it or because they have seen the consequences for their colleagues, that raising their voice would be dangerous for their careers.
Those who say they are threatened by their students are then reprimanded by their administration.
Classes - and not only in priority areas - which, almost unanimously, believe that Charlie Hebdo journalists got what they deserved
One of them was explained, by his principal, that it was necessary to stop trying to exclude, even temporarily, students who aggressively refused to respect the principle of secularism: this would risk marring the figures.
Few of the teachers aspire to stay in difficult high schools;
better for them to be silent, to please the inspection, and to wait to be transferred elsewhere.
To say what they see would be to imply that all is not going well in their establishment: unacceptable for the hierarchy of the ministry.
A lead screed covers the teachers' rooms, where we understand each other by strong innuendos, but from which nothing can come out.
National education does not promote whistleblowers.
It demeans even those who, without complaint, do their work with their heads held high.
It rarely sanctions, but sends signals that do not mislead - visits by inspectors, remarks or informal reprimands.
To read also:
Marion Maréchal: "It is not the values of the Republic which are attacked but the French values"
After the terrorist attack at Saint-Charles station in Marseille, the President of the Republic sacked the prefect of the Rhône, responsible for the release of the murderer who had previously been arrested in an irregular situation.
This decision, while the prefect himself had probably never heard of this particular file, had produced an electric shock throughout the prefectural body.
From now on, each prefect understood that the treatment of illegal immigrants had become a priority, that he would be held personally responsible for any blunder, and that each suspicious situation had to be traced.
In National Education, it is the opposite.
Any problem should be passed under the rug, every complaint should be silenced, any inconvenience erased from the board.
To advance their careers, principals and rectors must demonstrate that everything is going for the best in the best of all possible worlds within their establishments.
In the other ministries, the inspection bodies (general inspectorate of finance, administration, social affairs, etc.) aim to uncover dysfunctions.
Any problem should be passed under the rug, every complaint should be silenced, any inconvenience erased from the board.
It is only with the National Education that one has the impression that the inspectorate prefers to hide some of them.
Of course, sometimes the academic inspectorate fully plays its role in this area, for example when it inspects schools out of contract and reports questionable practices.
But that does not prevent the existence of a cultural omerta which crosses the whole administration.
If we want the school to “
block
”, it is not enough to produce new “
secular charters
”.
We must start by reversing this noxious logic.
National Education officials should be encouraged to report on the problems plaguing their establishments and to report disturbing information.
They should call to report problems, difficulties, altercations.
And rather than trying not to make waves, the management should systematically support the teachers in good faith, even if it means scandalizing the parents of the student.
To read also:
Valérie Pécresse: "To our teachers"
In
La Gloire de mon père
, the lay teacher Joseph Pagnol did not hesitate to shock Uncle Jules' Catholic convictions.
It was because he had confidence in the unwavering support of his hierarchy.
"
The Inspector of the Academy was their bishop, the Rector the Archbishop, and their Pope was the Minister
," said Pagnol with admiration.
What professor today can have the same confidence in his institution?
The supervision of national education needs an electric shock.
If we want the school not to back down, it must first support and encourage the teachers who are on the front line.
