Reports are increasing. After the two CE2 students surprised Monday in the middle of prayer in the courtyard of the Saint-Sylvestre school, north of Nice, the rector of the academy announced that similar facts had also concerned five other children in other establishments. “Three cases [ce jeudi] and two, Tuesday,” said Natacha Chicot on the air of BFM Nice Côte d’Azur.
According to information from Nice morning, confirmed to 20 minutes by the city of Nice, a prayer brought together three CE2 students from the Pierre-Merle school, near the port, this Thursday. “There is perhaps a phenomenon of mimicry when there is a little media coverage around a situation. But, systematically, the response will be the same: summoning parents, reminding all children of the rules relating to secularism and great firmness on the part of my teams,” supported the rector.
“We won’t let anything go”
Monday, in a joint press release, Christian Estrosi and Natacha Chicot had already defended “the principle of secularism […] which cannot in any way be disputed.” “It is required of everyone, in all our public schools, both during class time and after-school time. We will not let anything pass,” they noted.
The parents of the students concerned were summoned by the deputy mayor responsible for education, by the director of the establishment and by the district inspector. Both students had received a warning.
Last June, Christian Estrosi had already alerted the government following “Muslim prayers by children in CM1 and CM2” in schools in the city.