French teacher suspended over minutes silence tribute to Palestinians in Gaza
A high school science teacher in France has been suspended since late March for holding a minute's silence for the victims of Israel's war on Gaza.
Le Parisien reported on Thursday, citing education authorities, that the physics and chemistry teacher at Janot Curie high school in Sens, Yonne, was suspended on 31 March.
Five days earlier, a minute's silence was held just at the end of her class to pay tribute to the victims of the war, just as Israeli forces unilaterally broke a ceasefire in Gaza and killed more than 700 Palestinians.
The Dijon education authority said: “Respecting neutrality is a duty for civil servants, enshrined in their status, and any failure to comply with this obligation triggers disciplinary proceedings.”
It added that the minute's silence had been organised by the teacher. However, the educational branches of three trade unions said it was the students, aged between 15 and 16, who requested the tribute.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
“She herself was moved… and the teacher agreed, at the end of her class, to observe this moment of tribute with the students who wished to do so," the unions said in a joint statement.
“We demand that this teacher be reinstated immediately, that all charges be dropped, and that her dignity be officially restored in the eyes of the school, staff and parents.”
According to the unions, who called the measure "insane", the tribute "in no way constitutes a breach of the duty of neutrality".
They cited Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, who in February "recognised" the "role of teachers in addressing the plight of the victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and paying tribute to them", similar to "the actions in support of Ukraine", according to the press release.
The teacher is now the subject of disciplinary proceedings, which could result in a formal warning or reprimand. She does not know how long the suspension will last.
'Policy of denying Palestinian suffering'
The decision marks the latest episode of French authorities taking punitive action over protests and remarks related to Israel’s war on Gaza.
Since 7 October 2023, there has been a marked rise in the use of the “apology for terrorism” offence, with French authorities launching hundreds of investigations into comments made about the war in Gaza.
Jean-Paul Delescaut, leader of the General Confederation of Labour union, was handed a suspended one-year jail sentence for writing in response to the 7 October Hamas attacks: “The horrors of illegal occupations… are receiving the responses they provoked.”
Last month, three students from Sciences Po Paris were expelled for participating in pro-Palestine protests.
Leftist party France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) strongly condemned the decision to suspend the science teacher, calling it a "denial of the right to empathy".
“This moment of silence, held after a class as a gesture of humanity, led to a brutal and unjustified suspension by the education authority,” the party said in a statement.
“This is an incomprehensible and unspeakably violent decision against a teacher who simply wanted to impart the values of respect and solidarity to her students.
“This approach by the education authority is part of a comprehensive policy of denying the suffering of the Palestinian people.”
Earlier this week, the French government joined Canada and the UK in condemning Israel’s "egregious actions" in Gaza and warned of joint action if it did not halt its current military offensive.
French President Emmanuel Macron accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "unacceptable" behaviour in blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
In response, Netanyahu accused Macron of siding with a "murderous Islamist terrorist organisation".
middleeasteye.net