Hervé Morin, president of the Normandy region, does not mince words on the deconfinement plan and calls on the high school students not to return to class before September. For him, "it creates epidemic risks for so little, especially since many young people take school transport". As a reminder, the regions are responsible for the walls of high schools, catering and school transport.
Do you think that the deconfinement plan is feasible in National Education?
HERVÉ MORIN.No. In the name of the fight against dropping out of school, Emmanuel Macron announces his return to school on May 11. His speech is ruined a few days later because the government specifies that schooling will be optional, which will generate great inequalities: a first since Jules Ferry! Children who did not attend classes during confinement will not be the ones who will most naturally return to school on May 11. It would have been wiser to resume school in September as recommended by the Scientific Council. Of course, the main thing is the resumption of economic life in the country. But local elected representatives and the state services devote gigantic energy to, in the best of cases, 12 effective days of class for CP and CM2 (where it is probably the most legitimate), and 6 to 8 days for middle school students (since they are half-classes). It is easier to open recreation centers, daycare centers for parents who have no childcare solution, as has been done for the children of health personnel.
Does that mean that you are calling on high school students not to return to class before September?
Yes. If we have to organize classes cut in half to respect health security distances, return to high school at the beginning of June, with class advice before June 12, this amounts to high school students a few days of useful lessons! With the exception of the needs related to diplomas or particular problems (exams, group of dropouts ready to return or first year of prep), I do not intend to reopen the doors of Norman high schools in early June. It is creating epidemic risks for so few, especially since many young people take school transport, for which we are not able to mobilize additional buses or drivers. To ensure maximum social distancing on all buses, the doctors tell me, it should be closer to 25% than 50% occupancy rate. Impossible if we transport everyone!
Even for voluntary high school students?
The 100,000 high school students will be able to continue their course thanks to digital schools. For them, there is no custody problem! In Normandy, up to 160,000 daily connections have been observed and the teachers have done a lot to follow them, even during the holidays. We also know that high school students are as contagious as adults. The urgency is to worry about the return to September.
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That is to say ?
If the virus is still circulating, it will be necessary to push the walls of schools, colleges and high schools, build new teaching models, build schedules adapted to health and transport constraints (it takes 9 months to buy a coach), this are gigantic investments to which are added considerable operating costs for cleaning schools, supervising children ... It is time for the State to sound the general mobilization for the moment when all young French people will find their way back to school , that is to say in September. State financial assistance will be required given the foreseeable explosion in school spending.
Is the non-reopening of high schools in June a decision of all the regions?
No, it is my decision. But I will ask, on Monday, to Renaud Muselier, the president of the Association of Regions of France, that we discuss it.