"The state cannot disengage from its responsibility for the reopening of schools on May 11, and this schedule is, in most of our communes, untenable and unrealistic. Here is the message sent by 316 mayors of Ile-de-France to Emmanuel Macron, in a long open letter published this Sunday.
These elected signatories of all political stripes, including the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (PS), demand in concert a postponement of this school year for nursery and elementary schools. "This will allow the strict application of a health protocol," say the elected officials. “How could we make these types of decisions (Editor's note: the opening of schools) in a context of extremely serious health crisis when we have neither the competence, nor the means, nor the responsibility? They write again.
“The calendar is simply too tight, criticizes Stéphane Beaudet, mayor (SE) of Evry-Courcouronnes and president of the association of mayors of Ile-de-France (Amif). The Prime Minister announced this week a gradual deconfinement from May 11. But we will not know until Tuesday or Wednesday how many teachers will be present on D-Day. We also do not know if our departments will be classified in the red zone. This information will fall on the evening of the 7th, on the eve of a three-day weekend. The deadline is simply impracticable. "
"A sword of Damocles above our heads"
Because for a department in the red zone, primary schools will be open only "if the mayor is able to apply the detailed health protocol which will be known by the end of this week," replied May 1 to the Parisian Ministry of National Education. For Yannick Hoppe, mayor (UDI) of Le Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis), these sanitary measures are simply impossible to apply in such a short time.
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“The State asks us to install a meter between each tap and if we cannot, we will have to condemn the sanitary facilities. Kids will no longer be able to go to the bathroom. We no longer know which children to prioritize on May 11, there is no longer any mention of CP and CM2 ”, laments the elected official. All these uncertainties and its possible consequences on the organization of the start of the school year raise a serious case of conscience for Yannick Hoppe. “In terms of the criminal responsibility of mayors, it is a sword of Damocles above our heads. If a child contracts Covid, who will be responsible? "
A text tabled at the Assembly to secure mayors
It is precisely to secure the mayors on their civil and criminal responsibility that Jean-Louis Thiériot, deputy (LR) of Seine-et-Marne, drafted and deposited a text of law on April 30 at the National Assembly, signed by all MPs The Republicans. According to the text, a mayor should be responsible only "if it is established that he had the full means to implement the decisions and that he committed a manifestly willful misconduct. The idea is to calm the elected officials so that everyone can work serenely ”.
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It will not be enough, however, to allay all fears. Olivier Clodong, mayor (DVD) of Yerres, also a signatory of the open letter, will only reopen his schools on May 11 with one condition. "That the state organize the systematic screening of the 300 teachers and municipal officers in my city, who will be in contact with the students, and at least once a week, urges the elected official, contacted this Sunday evening by phone. If I don't have a response from the prefecture this week, the 110 classes in my commune will remain closed. "