Jean-Baptiste Maillard is secretary general of
“
Freedom education
”
, an association for the defense of parents who have chosen home education for their children.
On September 9, he published Home
school: a fundamental freedom
(ed. Artège).
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LE FIGARO. - The Constitutional Council has given the green light to the
“
separatism
”
law
. It will now require prior authorization from the State to educate your child at home. And the reasons for obtaining it will be limited, despite a reservation of interpretation of the Constitutional Council. Why do you think this is a “blow to democracy”?
Jean-Baptiste MAILLARD. -
Parents are their child's first educators. As soon as we reject this principle, as the government is doing, we put our finger in a gear anything but democratic. I note that the countries with the most restrictions on homeschooling are China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Conversely, countries like Ireland have enshrined the right to choose family education in their constitutions.
Under the guise of an ideology according to which nothing should exist outside the school institution, the executive goes against a number of international conventions: the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, but also the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which explains that it is up to parents to choose the education of their children.
As some twenty international researchers specializing in family
education
have stated in an open letter to the magazine
Other education,
family education clearly demonstrates the strength of a democracy.
The most prominent French researchers in the field of radicalization have all answered me that there are no figures on radicalization in the context of homeschooling.
Jean-Baptiste Maillard
The other problem is also the reasons given by the government. During his speech at Les Mureaux on October 2, 2020, Emmanuel Macron announced his decision to restrict homeschooling as part of the fight against fundamentalism. However, there is no basis for this. I have spent many days interviewing the most prominent French researchers on radicalization and all have replied that there are no figures on radicalization in homeschooling. This observation is shared by a senior official at the head of the Institute of Higher Studies of the Ministry of the Interior.
A draft opinion of the Council of State, to which
Le Figaro
had access, concluded that the article on family education was unconstitutional. The final version has been changed significantly. You wonder about this turnaround.
Why was the Bergeal report changed?
Who changed his conclusion?
This poses a democratic question.
At the moment, no one has the answer.
In addition, two other reports from the General Directorate of School Education, which focused on the results of children educated in families have not been made public.
Why ?
Many deputies have continued to demand them from the Minister of National Education and, contrary to what Jean-Michel Blanquer asserts, they are still not available.
The deputies had to blindly vote the article of the separatism bill on this subject, without being aware of these reports.
Ten years ago, only 3,000 children were educated at home.
They were 62,000 in 2020-2021
Jean-Baptiste Maillard
You write that home schooling gives excellent results "to make national education pale". Are there any studies to back up your point?
In France, we do not have much perspective on the results of home schooling because this phenomenon is relatively new.
Ten years ago, only 3,000 children were educated at home, compared to 62,000 in 2020-2021.
In addition, there are not many studies because few researchers are interested in the subject, with a few exceptions such as Philippe Bongrand, doctor in sociology at the University of Cergy-Pontoise who has a laboratory dedicated to home school.
And then, the National Education does not facilitate research, evidenced by these two reports from the General Directorate of School Education, still in the drawers. Yet they contain a lot of information about student success. According to the Senate, which apparently had access to these documents, the controls of the common base of knowledge are successful for 98% of children educated in family.
It should be noted that, if the results were not there, the academy inspectors could already require parents to enroll their child in school. To find information, we are therefore forced to turn to Anglo-Saxon countries, in particular the United States where home schooling has been developed for a longer time and concerns more children: six million have already benefited from “home”. -schooling ”. In some states, like Alabama, the percentage has doubled since the pandemic to 12% of educated children at home. Scientific research, more extensive than in France, shows that in the vast majority of cases these children do better than those who go to school. They pursue higher education,find valuable jobs and are involved citizens. We also note that many young people obtain doctorates very early.
If, in your opinion, homeschooling has convincing results, how do you explain the government's reluctance?
It is an ideological blockage that goes against a global trend, as homeschooling is expanding in all countries of the world. For example, the Brazilian National Assembly had to work in June on a bill to liberalize this education system because Brazil realized its appeal. Elsewhere, partnerships are established between families who choose home education and schools. Some countries even give subsidies to households like Russia. Globally, homeschooling is the most important societal movement of the past half century, according to an American educational researcher who works for the State Department.
Today, the government is going against the grain of this development, which raises questions for a party that considers itself progressive.
With the development of teleworking, this trend will however accelerate, it is inevitable.
Some point to the lack of student assessments. Are the controls sufficient?
Inspection checks are only 70% completed.
This poses a real problem, especially since the number of children educated at home is exploding due to the health crisis and the implementation of the health pass.
There could be 100,000 at the start of September.
If the controls are insufficient, it is not because of the families but of the administration.
Jean-Baptiste Maillard.
If the controls are insufficient, it is not because of the families but of the administration which does not do its job well enough.
Moreover, the national union of academy inspectors had said it was opposed to the bill to ban homeschooling and called for more resources.
Also, one of the two reports from the General Directorate of School Education showed that city hall controls are only 50% carried out.
With the authorization regime that oversees family education desired by Emmanuel Macron and his government, which I call a disguised prohibition regime, all children will have to be checked by inspectors as well as by town halls in 2022- 2023, and the resources put in place are insufficient for the time being.
Who are the parents who choose this mode of instruction and why do they do it?
Their main motivation is to respect the rhythm of the child who has an overloaded school rhythm.
Home education makes it possible to adapt to the child according to his needs, his mood and his interests.
It also makes it possible to go much further in certain subjects.
This respect for pace is also reflected in the absence of homework in the evenings and on weekends, which leaves more time for outdoor activities.
Is this model applicable to all children? What about their socialization?
The child must be motivated and fulfilled.
Some children, victims of bullying or suffering from school phobia, themselves choose homeschooling, which then becomes a lifeline.
This educational model is generally not intended to be sustained throughout schooling.
The older the children, the less home schooling they use.
Jean-Baptiste Maillard
One in two children returns to the school system one year after having received their education at home, and the older the children, the less they use home education: only 13% of children educated in families are still there. college level, and 2% for high school.
However, there are children who do all their schooling like this and they do very well!
I would add that children educated in families are as well socialized as those in school. Naomi Aldort, a world-renowned expert on the issue of homeschooling, explains that at the global level "
in terms of socialization, children educated in families are ahead of their school peers
"
.
Researcher Richard G. Medlin says that "
research indicates that homeschooled students develop into balanced and socially integrated adults and become responsible citizens who are active members of society
.
"
Teaching your child at home requires, most of the time, that one of the two parents gives up his professional activity. Many French people cannot afford it ...
Families are mostly affiliated to CAF (89%) and almost half have a family quotient of less than 1000. Thus, contrary to popular belief, homeschooling is not reserved for a wealthy elite, it is accessible. to modest households.
It is the most accessible method for educating your children.
However, it is true that this remains a financial sacrifice.
My wife had to give up her salary to educate our child at home, we had to leave Paris to move to the provinces.
And our way of life has radically changed.
