Secularism at school: Nice schoolchildren say Muslim prayers in the yard

2023-06-16 19:00:00

DISPATCH — In Nice, CM1 and CM2 schoolchildren went to pray in the playground. Of Muslim faith, they wanted to enforce a minute of silence for the Prophet Muhammad. Thursday, June 15, these actions went up to the government through Christian Estrosi. The next day, Pap Ndiaye announced that he was mobilizing “the Values ​​of the Republic teams”.

The Academy of Nice first reported the events to the mayor of the city, Christian Estrosi. It was he who then challenged the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, in a letter posted on Twitter. He deplores “several extremely serious facts which occurred in various establishments in the city”. And to continue:Faced with these attempts to intrude religion into the sanctuaries of the republic that are our schools, our response must be firm, collective and resolute. We must not let anything pass.” He wants the establishment of an “action plan to put an end to this drift”, asking the government to strengthen “the partnership between the State and the communities”.

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If Elisabeth Borne did not respond on Twitter, the Minister of Education Pap Ndiaye did. He condemns the facts and indicates “mobilize the Values ​​teams of the Republic”:

The facts that happened in 3 primary schools in Nice are intolerable. I immediately mobilize the values ​​teams of the Republic.
In connection with @cestrosithe Government is taking all necessary measures to enforce secularism in our schools. https://t.co/RTUUpKMR5P

— Pap Ndiaye (@PapTheDay) June 16, 2023

Still little known to the general public, these teams were set up after the 2015 attacks and are one of the four pillars of the “regal square” of each rectorate, alongside the fight against violence, harassment and radicalization. Responsible for helping establishments to ensure respect for the values ​​of the Republic, of which secularism is a part, these teams numbered nearly six hundred at the end of 2022. national education staff, including 100 for primary schools.