This Monday noon, they should have checked the identities, signed the candidates and collected the copies. Instead, they distributed fruit juice and cakes while wishing “good luck” to their final year students. Twenty-five teachers, summoned to monitor the first day of the general and technological baccalaureate specialty tests, did not go to class. “It’s our way of taking action to protest against the pension reform,” says Morgane, an English teacher at this high school in Vaulx-en-Velin, near Lyon.
“The parents of our students, from working-class backgrounds, are the first to be affected by this unfair reform,” she insists. We already see some of these young people on construction sites or working at night. Working until age 64 is literally impossible. We will continue to mobilize for them. “New actions are already planned for Tuesday and Thursday.
A strike, not a blockade
A bit of excitement, false joys for some and a lot of questions. Arriving in front of their high school, the final year students doubted. “Are we going to pass the baccalaureate or not? “, launches one of them. The answer is yes. “It’s not a blockage but a strike,” recalls David, professor of digital and computer science (NSI). “Well, what’s the point then? asks the high school student. “Nothing,” replies the teacher, disappointed.
The twenty supervisors mobilized learned a few moments before their action that “scabs” had been asked by the rectorate to replace them. They thus ensured the “good performance of the tests”. “It’s infuriating, resumes David. With this reaction, the rectorate attacks our right to strike and in addition, it uses administrative staff who have nothing to do with education. “According to his information, the headmaster “loaded” the rooms and “fired on the numbers” going from three to four people to monitor the students. More than 270 candidates were called.
“Not sure that the rules to follow to pass such an examination have been complied with”, points out Nil. For these teachers, it would have been necessary to “postpone the tests”. “Contrary to what you might hear, it would have really helped the students,” says the NSI teacher. The latter specifies that they were prepared “normally” and that the decision to strike was taken on Friday noon.
The students “would have liked” a postponement of the tests
“I completely support the teachers,” say Elias, Mouni and Mathieu, 17 and 18 years old. Although they share their concerns about pensions, their main concern is the exam to be taken. “I would have really liked it to be postponed, launches Asmaa. It’s too early, there’s too much work, too much stress. Yasmin approves: “These subjects count for the baccalaureate but above all, for Parcoursup. And these are the ones with the highest coefficient, she says. It’s horrible but we have no choice, let’s go! »
In addition to the pension reform, the teachers of the Robert-Doisneau high school are also protesting against the Blanquer reform, which came into force in 2019. The latter set up the holding of specialty tests in March. Before, all final exams took place in June, which “facilitated the organization of the whole school”, but also “the calendar to keep”. The teachers then demanded his withdrawal. “For our students, no poverty retirement, no Blanquer baccalaureate! “, they summarize.
“The programs cannot be done in one semester, it gives the students a lot of stress,” exclaims Mathematics teacher Mathieu. And it is always the same ones who suffer. Finally, the common denominator of these two reforms is that they pass without taking into account the opinions of people on the ground. »