While the National Assembly's Finance Committee was in the midst of a debate on pension reform, Claire Guichard's remarks sparked an outcry.
Gabriel Attal's substitute for the tenth district of Hauts-de-Seine wanted to "
speak out about the AESH
" (Accompanying students with disabilities), these 132,000 people who help students with disabilities on a daily basis to take lessons with the other children.
According to the MP, "
many AESH, who are mothers who stopped working at one time to take care of their children, choose this status to have Wednesdays and school holidays
".
A wave of disapproval rises in the room.
“And they assume,
continues the deputy
.
They are happy with what they are doing, stop victimizing the professions!”
General outrage
A statement that did not please the chairman of the Finance Committee, Éric Coquerel
.
“I think we are going to go see AESH together, dear colleague, coldly replied the LFI deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis.
Their big demand is that their job be taken into consideration.”
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Following him, criticism multiplied.
"
It's shameful, it's an incredible class contempt
", curried Clémentine Autain, deputy LFI.
For the socialist Arthur Delaporte, the words of Claire Guichard are purely “
above ground
”.
As for MEP LFI Manon Aubry, she invited MP LREM to “
come and do the job of AESH for 850 euros per month and live below the poverty line.
And she'll see if it's really a matter of choice.
»
Faced with the indignation triggered, Claire Guichard returned to her remarks, acknowledging in a Tweet that
“AESH devote their lives to society
”
.
The deputy then wanted to apologize to “
those whom her words may have offended
”.
“
My words yesterday may have led people to think that I am understating the difficulties they are going through.
This is not the case.
»
In September 2022, Claire Hédon, Defender of Rights, pinned down the State for a crucial lack of personnel serving children with disabilities.
The profession "
lacks consideration, recognition and is becoming precarious
", denounces the report, which notes that more than 60% of AESH work part-time and earn less than 800 euros net per month.
At the same time, in an interview with
La Provence
,
Gabriel Attal defended this “
essential work
”.
“
It is a job that remains precarious.
We raise the salary, we allow AESH to be able to work more to compensate for this, ”
replied the Minister of Action and Public Accounts to a reader of the regional daily.