Some 200 people demonstrated in Lille on Friday, supported by teachers' unions, to protest against the prefecture's decision to end public subsidies for the Averroès high school, the main Muslim secondary school in France.
“We are a Republican high school,” could be read on a large banner held by the demonstrators.
“We are tired of being defamed, justice for the high school,” they also chanted.
The Council of State seized
The administrative court of Lille confirmed on Monday in summary proceedings the decision of the prefect of the North to terminate from the start of the 2024 school year the contract linking the State to Averroès, whom he accuses of having provided teaching "contrary to the values of the Republic ".
The establishment indicated that it would contact the Council of State on this subject.
Read alsoLycée Averroès in Lille: false nose of radical Islam or establishment of excellence?
“Averroès is a brilliant school, the children are thriving there (…), we are very sad,” testified among the demonstrators a mother of two children attending the school, Souria Laoufi.
Sarah, 21, a former student of the school now in her 3rd year of medicine, came to provide her “support” to her teachers who “gave her a lot”.
“It’s a blatant, blatant injustice, I don’t understand,” lamented Sophie Mouhallil, a Spanish teacher at this high school since 2007. “It’s the first time in my life that I’ve uttered the word Islamophobia,” but “I don’t see any other explanation.”
A “call for donations”
Teachers “are very affected by the decision of the administrative court,” reported Éric Dufour, director of the Averroès school group.
He also announced the launch of a campaign calling for donations.
“We still hope to recover the Averroès contract before the next school year”, but “this campaign should allow us to continue calmly”, he indicated.
To save Averroès, more than ever we need you and your generosity!
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Education is everyone's business and excellence has a price.
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— Lycée Averroes (@LyceeAverroes) February 16, 2024
“When we compare the treatment of other establishments under contract, for example Stanislas, we realize that there are double standards, for us it comes down to a certain Islamophobia,” said Stéphane Enjalran, from Sud Éducation .
The prestigious Parisian Catholic high school Stanislas was singled out in a report by the General Inspectorate of National Education for “abnormalities in the application” of its contract with the State, such as the obligation to take catechism classes.
But also the “personal convictions” of certain catechists “on abortion” or “likely to be qualified criminally on homosexuality”.