Tens of thousands of staff in French schools launched nationwide protests against the government’s Covid policy
Teachers, administrators, and school employees in France refused to show up for work on Thursday, demanding the government review its Covid pandemic policy, which they claim is incoherent and fails to protect students and staff.
The government has drawn anger from education professionals for repeatedly altering its policy on how schools cope with Covid. Ahead of students returning to class from the Christmas holidays, the government announced new Covid testing rules for schools, which have since changed twice.
“We had reached such a level of exasperation, tiredness, and anger that we didn’t have any other option but to organize a strike to send a strong message to the government,” the national secretary of the SE-UNSA teachers union, Elisabeth Allain-Moreno, said.
Some schools in Paris closed entirely due to the industrial action, while others were only open for children of essential workers.
One parent expressed support when asked about their view on the strike, stating that they “understand” why teachers have taken this step “because the protocol is impossible to apply” due to the government’s changing approach.
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Teaching unions expected 75% of primary school staff and 62% of high school teachers to join the one-day strike. The Education Ministry claimed that the actual turnout was lower, with only 38.5% of primary school and 24% of high school employees striking.
“I know it’s tough, but a strike does not solve problems. One does not strike against a virus,” Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer told BFM TV on Thursday.
The government initially implemented a policy of swiftly closing classes that report a positive Covid case, moving instead to trying to keep schools as open as possible, even if that causes complications for staff.
“The exhaustion and exasperation of the entire educational community have reached an unprecedented level,” a joint statement from 11 education sector unions said, calling on the government to fix this “chaotic situation” that has resulted in “incessant changes of footing.”
source: RT
Împotriva articolelor redacției noastre, persoanele nemulțumite pot formula Contestație în termen de 10 zile de la publicarea articolului, la judecătoria Orășenească nr. 1 München Bayern Deutschland, in conformitate cu Legea federală Germană. Considerăm că nu se pot formula acțiuni la instanțele din România deoarece nici o persoană care activează în trustul nostru nu poate fi extrasă de sub jurisdicția federală germană. Considerăm că redacția noastră nu răspunde în fața autorităților din România ci doar celor federale sau civile germane. deoarece legea română nu are efecte de extraneitate asupra redacției chiar dacă subiectul știrilor face obiectul unor evenimente sau persoane din România și sunt scrise în limba română. Limba română nu este izvor de extraneitate a legii.
