Jean-Michel Blanquer to teachers: “We do not go on strike against a virus” – LCI

After Jean Castex, Monday evening, who announced a new relaxation of the health protocol in schools in order to reassure parents of students and staff overwhelmed by the Omicron wave, Jean-Michel Blanquer in turn tried to turn off the fire. While the teachers’ unions maintain their call for the strike of Thursday, January 13, considering it all the more legitimate after this third change of protocol in the space of ten days.

“I know that there is a lot of fatigue, a lot of nervousness, so I appeal both to coolness, to the unity of the Nation around his school, but also not to confuse the subjects , we are in the presidential campaign, some opponents are trying to make it a theme “, regretted this Tuesday morning the Minister of Education on BFMTV.

A few hours later in the Assembly, Jean-Michel Blanquer defended himself for having taken too light measures: “We have transposed what the High Council for Public Health asked of us”, he underlined, pointing the finger at those who want to make controversy. “In a crisis situation, we see those who have a sense of responsibility and those who seek to exploit them”, he continued.

All representative unions denounce “an indescribable mess” in schools due to the Covid-19 protocol put in place and “a strong feeling of abandonment and anger among the staff”. But for Jean-Michel Blanquer, “it’s a shame to have a day that will further disrupt the system”, he said. “There are problems, I am the first to admit it, it is difficult, but it is difficult in all countries”.

“As I express the hope that this is our last wave, it would be a shame to be divided in this home stretch which is very hard, very complicated for all the players”, he added, before launching: “It is not a strike that solves the problems, we do not strike against a virus.”

From now on, three simple self-tests are required for contact cases at school, without obligation of antigen test or PCR. Jean-Michel Blanquer sees in this “adaptation” of the protocol a way of “to simplify the life of families, but also the life of teachers and school directors, mainly in primary school”. The idea is “to simplify the life of everyone, families, to avoid queues at the pharmacy and primary school administrators who are very concerned (…), while maintaining a requirement on the subject of tests. is therefore a responsibility of everyone, for the lowest possible constraints “, he estimated.

The minister reported 10,000 classes closed Monday evening, or 2% of primary classes, and 50,000 cumulative positive cases, out of 12 million students.