“The mask will be a supply like any other; just as you come with your pencil case or notebooks. “ The implication is that it’s up to families to get them for their children. These words made Thursday evening by the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, on France 2, aroused the ire of teachers and parents of students. “It’s a denial of reality and a confusion of genres. The mask is not an educational tool. It wouldn’t occur to anyone to say that a child’s ventolin with asthma is a supply ”, says Rodrigo Arenas, co-president of the FCPE.
“Cost and fees”
The parents’ federation is also launching a petition, one of the objectives of which is that “The masks are paid for free by the State and that the teachers at risk and fragile children have FFP2 masks at their disposal ”.
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During his speech, Jean-Michel Blanquer recalled that the back-to-school allowance was increased by 100 euros this year due to the health crisis. But the argument does not pass. “The masks represent 200 euros per month for a family with two children”, says Rodrigo Arenas. Among teachers, Frédérique Rolet, president of Snes-FSU, the majority union in secondary education, also wishes “Free masks for pupils”. And considers that an increase in the back-to-school allowance has no connection with the issue of masks since “Each new school year sees an increase in the cost of supplies and additional costs” for families.
“Health fault”
Trade unions are not the only ones to plead in favor of care. The mayor EE-LV of Grenoble, Eric Piolle, estimated on France Info that“Go towards free and the supply of masks in middle and upper secondary schools seems essential”. And LFI MP Eric Coquerel pointed in a tweet one “Health fault” from the Minister of Education: “The principle of school is, in theory, to be free and compulsory. If going there now means wearing a mask, it must be free. ” Since deconfinement, La France insoumise has defended this position: its deputies even tabled a bill on April 28 advocating the free supply of masks to everyone for public health purposes. An idea that has since grown in parties. First on the left: Valérie Rabault, president of the PS group in the National Assembly, asked for the distribution of a quota of free masks per citizen on August 4. But also on the right. Monday the deputy LR Eric Ciotti split a tweet on the subject: “The cost of masks penalizes the most precarious populations. To guarantee equal access to all, […] I call for its gratuity. ” RN spokesperson Laurent Jacobelli also spoke out for free masks. Only the presidential majority remains silent.
Faced with hostile reactions, Jean-Michel Blanquer tried to pedal back. While traveling to a school in the Oise, he said he was “In a position to provide masks to the pupils who need them the most”, confirming a policy on a case-by-case basis. “We would look with the student and his family at the reality of the problem”, he added. What does not convince Rodrigo Arenas: “Free masks are not the policy of resourcefulness, […] it is up to the State to take charge of it. “
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