Listening to a group of school children talking recently, I was surprised to hear an 11-year-old comment on how ‘it is the responsibility of every citizen to vote’. Big words from children so young! Lycéens too, are frequently seen expressing their views by marching in the streets, confident of their right to do so. These are French children and it is clear that the spirit of democracy is alive and well in secondary schools throughout France.
The School Rules
The school year always begins with class teachers meeting their forms for
L’heure de vie de classe which is dedicated to school life and news: a time to listen to different points of view and to formulate ideas and opinions. The classes study the school rules – article by article – and then the pupils sign in compliance.
Although the articles themselves may vary from school to school, the general sections of the document will be the same.
School life is dealt with: what time lessons begin and end and how the school canteen is run. A section on absences and late attendance will outline obligations for both the pupil and family: the need for a medical certificate if a child is unable to do sport for any length of time or that pupils must report to a certain teacher if they arrive late.
The exchange of information between parents and the school is covered in the school rules: it is the pupils’ responsibility to write down any information a teacher wishes parents to have and to get it signed by their parents – and this includes the school rules. It also means that a teacher knows that parents are aware of set homework and test results.
Good Behaviour
Naturally, there is a section on school security: not only do pupils know how to behave in the case of an accident and where to go in the case of an emergency, but also that the possession of dangerous objects is forbidden. After-school activities are dealt with. A lengthy section covers discipline. Smoking and chewing gum are forbidden in the school and it is here where the disciplinary procedure for bad behaviour is outlined.
Collective Respect
The school rules may be exactly the same from year to year, but all pupils spend time with their form teachers studying them at the start of every new school year to reinforce the notion of collective respect for regulations. The pupil is seen as an apprentice working towards citizenship.
Class Representatives
Two delegates or class representatives are elected during
L’heure de vie de classe in the first few weeks of term. They are formally elected and the class teacher scrupulously supervises the procedure. The candidates make a speech outlining what role they intend to play and the class casts its votes. These class delegates are not simply class prefects but are given a real opportunity to contribute to the life of the school. They may approach a teacher on behalf of a pupil for academic and social issues.
Le Conseil De Classe
More importantly, the class representatives attend the
conseil de classe. The headteacher or a senior member of staff chairs these class councils, which take place once a term. All the teachers who teach the class and two parent representatives (who are elected by the parents) are present, as well as the two class delegates. After the headteacher has opened the meeting, each teacher comments on the class in general. Then, each individual pupil’s progress and behaviour is discussed: comments may be made as to why a pupil is not working to their full potential and the pupil delegates might even contribute reasons to why this is so. This review is done in alphabetical order in fairness to the pupils.
Discretion
The class delegates transmit this information back to the pupils in the same way that the parent delegates report back to the parents. Obviously, discretion is extremely important. What is
said during the
conseil de classe about an individual pupil may only be repeated back to the pupil (or family) in question and in private. In the delegates’ summary of the meeting to their class no individual or personal detail must be mentioned. The delegates concentrate on the main points that were discussed and any decisions that were taken. The delegates are neither judge nor censor.
The pupil delegates (as in the case of the parent delegates) may comment at any point during the
conseil de classe: for instance, on the absence of teachers, homework being too difficult or they may express a desire for more information on option choices. The pupil delegates soon learn that being aggressive is not constructive. Naturally, the teachers are considered to be the ones best qualified to make decisions on education and the headteacher always has the final word on contentious issues. However, each member of the council contributes something and it is an example of how the relationship between teachers, parents and pupils is encouraged.
Le Conseil D’administration
A certain number of class delegates are elected onto the administrative council of the school (
le conseil d’administration) where important school decisions are made, like the buying of equipment and the drawing up or the amendment of school rules. This meeting takes place three times a year. Each of the pupil representatives has a vote like the other members and their voice carries the same weight as that of a teacher or a parent delegate. Of course, the headteacher casts the decisive vote when necessary.
The Importance Of Voting
All secondary school children in my town are issued with a
carte électorale, stamped by the town hall, with the words
‘Voter est un droit, c’est aussi un devoir civic’ (Voting is a right and it is also a duty). They are encouraged to stand as and vote for their own town councillors.
Citizenship Lessons At Collège
The teaching of citizenship in French secondary schools is compulsory. At
collège, Education Civique is usually taught by the history and geography teacher. The principal objectives are to instruct children on their civil responsibilities and to teach them respect for rules and for other people around them. The election of the class delegate is a concrete exercise in civic duty, as is the study of the school rules.
Important texts on human rights, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Constitution of the Fifth Republic and certain aspects of the French Penal Code are analysed as part of a general reflection on man’s rights and obligations.
The justice system in France and those of other European institutions are discussed in a reflection on the principle of equality. One of my sons studied Stephen Lawrence’s death and the consequences of the case during his
Education Civique lessons.
The importance of public opinion and the role of the press are analysed. Associations and unions are used as examples of community spirit and solidarity amongst mankind.
The necessity for all of us to respect our environment and
heritage are some of the other issues examined. The teaching of citizenship often takes a very practical form, like for example the reading and understanding of an individual’s electoral card or the filling out of an Accident Statement after a road accident.
Citizenship Lessons At Lycée
At lycée, the hours at school spent on citizenship are called by a different name and take on a different form. ECJS stands for education civique juridique sociale and covers areas of education, civics, law and social issues. The history and geography teacher teaches these hours and the objective is to enable the pupils to express themselves on any given topic. They should be able to contribute to an argument, have an opinion, be able to express it and hold their own during a debate. In practice, pupils are often sent to the school library to find information (primary sources like government white papers and newspaper editorials) and to compile a project made up of different sources, which may be marked by the teacher either with a grade or a comment.
The idea is to find a problem on which the class can debate: for example, ‘Violence at School’. The pupils are divided into groups and must argue for or against, despite their own personal point of view. One pupil takes on the role of président and chairs the debate, pupil-secretaries take notes, whilst others observe and have to complete a ballot as to how they feel about the issue at the end of the debate. ECJS means that the whole of the class – like the whole of society – contributes and has a responsibility to be concerned by issues that affect us all.
All the new Euro coins in France – like the franc and centime coins before them – carry the words ‘Liberté, égalit, fraternité’ and these same principles permeate – in theory at least – life in French secondary schools.