Le Figaro Nantes
A pioneering college was experimenting in Reunion Island this Tuesday with wearing a single outfit, while awaiting generalization in 2026. At this stage, the protocol stipulates that parents pay nothing: everything is financed, equally, by the State and communities.
This distribution makes the mayor of Sautron jump, a town of 8,600 inhabitants on the outskirts of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique).
“
We buy the uniform.
And why not underwear tomorrow?
» Marie-Cécile Gessant was indignant to Le
Figaro
, after having expressed her dissatisfaction in the columns of Ouest
France
.
“
I am not against
the uniform ,
”
immediately points out the center-right councilor (not included) in charge of four schools.
She herself remembers the time when she wore a blouse over her clothes, but bought by her parents.
Although Sautron neither applied nor was chosen to test the return of the system, Marie-Cécile Gessant, as manager of public funds, nevertheless immediately thought about financing.
She is also surprised that this did not raise more questions.
I don't have €90,000 to spend on a uniform!
Marie-Cécile Gessant, mayor (center-right) of Sautron
Also read: Uniform at school: what is the profile of voluntary establishments?
According to the first elements revealed by
Le Figaro
, the executive is working on a sober outfit, the amount of which would be around 200 euros.
Each community would then have to pay 100 euros per student: with 900 schoolchildren, this would represent nearly 100,000 euros for Sautron.
“
I don’t have 90,000 euros to spend on a uniform
,” proclaims the elected official.
“
At some point, stop!
Municipalities are not cash cows that take out money all the time.
We can't do everything
,” continues the woman who strives to distribute money equitably, both for children and older people.
One element annoys him even more: allowances, adjusted according to household resources, are distributed at the start of the school year.
“
Families receive significant amounts of benefits.
I don’t understand why we are asking communities to help pay for these outfits since they will replace those that a child would normally wear
.”
And to think: “
Couldn’t this allowance help families to buy this famous uniform?
»
Read alsoSchool uniform: cost, duration... The outlines of the experiment desired by the government
Nearly 400 euros in allowances at the start of the school year
“
All this has not been thought through
,” continues the woman who intends to write to the president of the Association of Mayors of France David Lisnard to alert him.
“
I have never bought school supplies worth around 380 euros [Editor's note: the price of the allowance in September 2023 was 398.09 euros per child aged 6 to 10].
Between brothers and sisters, we can iron certain things to save money.
It avoids throwing away
,” shares the mother, angry at probably being imposed an additional, unrequested expense.
In the current experiment, each community - town halls for schools, departments for middle schools and regions for high schools - will therefore cover 50% so that parents do not have to pay anything.
Among the sixty establishments selected to preview a uniform clothing set, one is located in Loire-Atlantique, in Nantes: this is the Jacques Cassard maritime professional high school.
Meetings are underway to refine the package: the regional president (various right) would like to call on local companies.
One thing is certain: the budget, not decided, will not be a hindrance for Christelle Morançais: “
she is committed.
It's a real project.
There is no financial subject
,” confides those around him.
The town hall of Sautron, a town located about ten kilometers from Nantes.
Sautron town hall