Why did it take so long ?
For years French children have suffered from absent teachers who are not replaced. The scandalous failure to provide substitute teachers in a timely manner poisons the entire system: children left to fend for themselves; impossibility to complete the official program; desperate parents; and ultimately, a poor education. It is a gangrene with far-reaching consequences.
Now, finally, an exasperated parent has taken action. Daniel Garault, father of a child in Pantin (93), filed suit against Education Minister Luc Chatel for "serious failure (faute grave) in the organisation of public education".
In first and second grade, his child had 18 different teachers, with no teacher at all in obligatory subjects during 13 days in the last six months !
He also filed a second lawsuit concerning the teaching of foreign languages: no teacher at all for the first four months of the year! (This actually happens frequently in the Academy of Creteil, one of the worst managed when it comes to foreign language instruction.)
Hopefully other parents will follow his lead. It is time to put an end to this outrageous dysfunction.
See full article in Libération.
See previous posts on this topic:
http://www.laurelzuckerman.com/2010/01/french-parents-spurred-to-revolt-by-absent-teachers-.html
http://www.laurelzuckerman.com/2009/12/absent-teachers-hurt-learning-in-france.html
