In Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines),
Busy day for the Bois d’Aulne college in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. This Monday is the return of students to the establishment after the All Saints holidays but this day also opens the trial of eight people accused of being involved in the assassination of Samuel Paty. A trial which is being held a few weeks after the commemorations held for the fourth anniversary of the death of the professor killed by a terrorist on October 16, 2020.
Two days later, the Yvelines departmental council voted on the decision to rename the establishment “Samuel-Paty college”. A tribute hailed by many elected officials, but which, however, does not convince everyone in the town.
“We didn’t expect it to be this fast”
“No one disputes the duty of memory that we have towards Samuel Paty. But perhaps it wasn’t supposed to be done like that,” explains Caroline* who just dropped off her daughter this Monday morning a few dozen meters from the gates of the still closed school. Like her, many parents expressed discomfort upon learning of the official announcement on the eve of the All Saints’ Day holidays. “We had heard about it, but we didn’t expect it to be so quick,” adds another mother of a student before slipping off into the autumn mist that covers the establishment.
Because if the idea of renaming the college had emerged the day after the death of Samuel Paty, it had been agreed to wait until all the students enrolled in the college at the time of the tragedy had left, i.e. four years, to avoid plunge them further into sordidness.
Parents would have liked to be consulted
This expired deadline led to the decision of the departmental council, previously validated by the college’s board of directors. However, three parent associations published a joint open letter to the attention of the academic director of Yvelines, the head of the college and the mayor of Conflans to regret the manner and timing taken.
“We deplore that parents were not involved in this decision, nor even warned in advance,” explains Cécile Ribet-Retel, president of the federation of Parents of Public Education Students (Peep) of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. , some members even learned about it by listening to the radio. »
If these same associations participated in the commemorations to represent “unity against barbarism”, they were “surprised by the speed and the lack of consultation which led to this decision” explains Cécile Ribet-Retel. “Of course the deadline mentioned in 2020 has passed and the parents of students were ready to discuss the idea again, but not to be presented with a fait accompli,” she adds, explaining that parents of students learned of the board of directors’ agenda only ten days in advance without their request for postponement being heard. “To summarize, we were told you come and you vote. »
“It’s too early, the wound is still wide open”
But if parents and associations agree with the establishment and elected officials to pay tribute to Samuel Paty, what problem does this decision pose? Another college in Val-de-Marne has already been renamed in the name of the professor… “It is certain that from the outside, everywhere in France, we must find this wonderful. And our reluctance can pass for ambivalence. But when we have experienced the tragedy, we see things differently,” confides the president of parents, comforted by several parents this Monday morning.
“There is no question of calling into question the memory of Samuel Paty. But the trauma is still present. My oldest was in middle school when this happened. And his little brother, who is there today, experienced this through him,” explains Marianne*. “Yes, the college students who knew Samuel Paty have left. But it’s not just students who experienced the tragedy, it’s also families. And this memory is heavy to bear for many,” adds Cécile Ribet-Retel.
Several parents wonder about the “rush” that pushed the authorities to rename the college so quickly. “It’s too early, the wound is still wide open,” says Marianne. And television debates like trials are, for some, salt sprinkled on the wound. A situation that is difficult to express out loud for the mother: “No one dares to say it too loudly for fear of disrespecting Samuel Paty’s family, or outright coming across as supporting the terrorist. »
The other side of good intentions
Among the parents, several are angry with the “politicians” who are “too happy to come and have their photo taken in front of the commemorative plaque”. “But with them behind, they resume their lives as if nothing had happened, and they leave us with this heavy inheritance,” Marianne annoys.
Because the symbol, if it is important, can be heavy to bear for some. “Who will explain to the children what the name Samuel Paty means, what happened, what it all means? For both children and parents it is very difficult psychologically, but we did not even have a support group to help us,” says the president of Peep who adds “that we owe much more to Mr. Paty than a simple plate.
Moreover, it would be, according to Peep, civic actions, teaching students “to live together” and not only from the teachers, who are also affected, and who “already manage to do with everything that is not given to them. don’t give”, “so pressured by their schedule, the programs and the academic inspectors who sometimes give astonishing instructions”.
On this subject, the director of the establishment met by 20 Minutes refers to the rectorate. But neither the latter nor the city mayor and departmental councilor, Laurent Brosse, have yet responded to our requests.
For their part, the parents learn to deal with the decisions, but regret the method as Cécile Ribet-Retel explains: “What we understand is that we have all taken a hit. Everyone puts a lid on it by renaming the college and period. “Deal with your emotions.” »
