Sciences Po Grenoble: Laurent Wauquiez suspends funding for the region after the dismissal of a teacher

"An ideological drift".

Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne - Rhône-Alpes region announced to suspend "all funding and all cooperation" with Sciences Po Grenoble, this Monday, December 20, 2021, following the dismissal of a teacher from the establishment , pending a disciplinary council concerning him.

“Sciences Po Grenoble is (…) in an unacceptable ideological and communitarian drift.

This is not my conception of the Republic, ”declared the member of the Republicans party on Twitter, while many voices from the right and the center were also moved by the fate of Klaus Kinzler, German teacher at the IEP.

Earlier today, Le Figaro revealed the teacher's suspension, for a period of four months, following comments deemed "defamatory against the higher education establishment" and "against the director" of the IEP, Sabine Saurugger, at the origin of this decision, pronounced by decree, on December 14th.

Obligation of reserve

In the interviews he gives to Marianne, to Opinion or even to CNews, the teacher describes the IEP as an institute of "political re-education".

He accuses a "hard core" of colleagues, followers according to him of "woke" theories, of indoctrinating the students.

According to him, the leadership of the IEP would allow these abuses to take place.

He denounces "an ideological hunt" against him.

Klaus Kinzler has been making more media statements since March 4.

That day, his name was plastered on the walls of Sciences Po Grenoble with the inscriptions “Fascists in our amphitheater”, “Islamophobia kills”.

These degradations appeared after the leak of vehement email exchanges, in which the teacher strongly criticized Islam and the organization of a day of debate entitled: "racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia".

Faced with the public positions taken by Klaus Kinzler, the director of Sciences Po Grenoble has repeatedly expressed her annoyance: “I think there is a tone that is extremely problematic in his remarks, with ideas that are sometimes developed. not very quickly, and therefore a call to order and an incitement to dialogue were undertaken, ”declared Sabine Saurugger, March 10, while condemning the posters.

Read also Professors accused of Islamophobia: how Sciences Po Grenoble ignited

To justify the layoff, the principal indicated that the teacher did not respect his “obligation of reserve and his obligation of discretion”, linked to his civil servant status.

She also assured the Marianne newspaper on December 13 that, contrary to Klaus Kinzler's assertions, freedom of education and expression was well guaranteed.

A point of view contested by Laurent Wauquiez and by many figures from the center and the right: “A professor discusses the notion of Islamophobia: his name is plastered (…), he is prevented from teaching and placed under police protection.

And because he dares to alert on the situation… his IEP suspends him ”, was thus strangled François-Xavier Bellamy, European deputy LR.

"Strange impression that one condemns the wrong person ...", reproaches for his part Eric Ciotti, runner-up of the primary of the Republicans in "support" to Klaus Kinzler.

Valérie Pécresse "asks" the Minister of Higher Education to "initiate an inspection mission on the situation and make the conclusions public".

The LREM deputy of Indre François Jolivet for his part asked in a press release "the placing under supervision of Sciences Po Grenoble", "a transition in the change of direction" and "the opening of a parliamentary commission of inquiry. ".

He claims to see in the affair "the signature of wokism".

Read alsoEducation, politics, media ... how "woke" became the new angry word

The accusations of Islamophobia had ignited the powder

Last March, the Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal ordered a report from the National Education Inspectorate to clarify the situation at Sciences Po Grenoble, following these numerous incidents.

The document concludes that "all the actors in this affair committed errors of appreciation, clumsiness, breaches and more or less serious mistakes".

However, the Inspectorate ruled that the accusations against Klaus Kinzler were "the cause of the serious deterioration of the climate of the IEP" over the months.

In addition, she indicated to have found, during her investigation, "no testimony allowing to accredit the rumors of Islamophobia" on behalf of certain professors of Sciences Po Grenoble.