At the heart of the writing of “Do not touch democracy”, Gilles Roumieux, history teacher, first wanted to listen to his students.
On the eve of the brochure signing sessions Hands off democracyepisode 2 of the work undertaken after the assassination of Samuel Paty with his third-grade students, and entitled Don’t touch my teacher Gilles Roumieux opened the doors to his class, room 22, at Racine College.
Above the painting, a drawing of the Cat (creature by Philippe Geluck) sets the tone: “Open-mindedness…is not a broken skull!”
13 000 brochures
This Saturday, June 4, some of these middle school students from Racine who collaborated, with their words, in the writing of Don’t touch democracy will sign the brochure (sold for €3) in two bookstores in Alès.
From 10 a.m. to noon, in Sauramps; then from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Au Bonheur des gens. To date, 13,000 have already been sold, the last (2,500) by the Gard department. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to School Without Borders.
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“If we don’t talk about it, it won’t change”
The aim of the course is to return to the collective work whose starting point was a filthy and outrageously racist letter received, at the end of December 2021, by the deputy Patrice Anato, which began with “the niggers of which you are a part…”
After careful consideration, Gilles Roumieux presents it to his two third-grade classes, along with a questionnaire. As a guide for reflection. “shocked”, “touched”, infatuated with a feeling of “shame”, each and everyone submits, in class, “so that the emotions are immediate”his words on paper. “If we don’t talk about it, it won’t change.”
“The right to be heard”
In the end, the texts will print the pages. Chloe’s begins in these terms: “After reading this letter, my mind is lost, I have no words to say what comes to mind…” However, as a reserved teenager (let’s listen to those who are silent!), But invested, she will find her way.
Because beyond the subjects, sensitive, chosen, the educational approach gives the opportunity to college students to express themselves. Freedom given to reactions, equality in their reception, fraternity as to the final action.
In this work, which the students seized, which Jade illustrated with a luminous Marianne in black and white, we can read the words of Agathe: “We too have the right to be heard and to free our ideas…” The opportunity was given, it was seized. Nicely.
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