Back to School: School in front line against the terrorist threat – The World

Le Monde | 24/08/2016 at 6:52 • Updated 24.08.2016 09:15 | By Julia Pascual and Mattea Battaglia

that seems far away, the time, against the terrorist threat, the country ensured not want giving in to fear, to continue to live” normally ” . While 12 million students prepare to return to class, the 1 ^st September same school, long thought of as a sanctuary, seems to assume a logical change. The government wants to see a hatch “new culture of security ‘. This is certainly the sense of “instructions” on which the Interior Ministers of Education and Agriculture – which depend on agricultural schools – had to communicate, Wednesday 24 August.

After a deadly summer and a few days of school, the government wants to show its mobilization against families and the educational world. This is among the many targets designated by the organization Islamic State (EI) since in November 2015, the French propaganda magazine of IE, Dar-Al-Islam, has called on “fight “ and ” kill “ teachers. “The threat is neither stronger nor weaker, is argued in cabinet Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, it remains simply outstanding. “

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alert level raised

Among the uses and rules that will this year find their place in schools and colleges, nothing quite new, actually. The recommendations are contained in a statement of 29 July which incorporates, for the most part, items already mentioned in four circulars issued after the events of November 13: tighter controls on the entry of institutions, limited crowds outside the gates, enhanced surveillance on the edge …

Still, the level of vigilance is indeed statement. Thus, three security exercises in schools will be organized annually against two previously. One must bear on a simulation of “bombing intrusion” We remember the criticism that this initiative, organized a little empirically last year. – And not mandatory – had raises both among families, worried that ill-prepared teachers.

the government wants to avoid the feeling of isolation may have been done up of principals and communicates all directions on the ‘rise to power of collaboration “ between the ministries of education and interior. Two worlds which have rather a habit of toiser. “During the school year 2015-2016, there were 3000 requests of security referents of the Interior Ministry, six times more than the year before “, says one in the entourage of the two ministries. This rise corresponds to the updating of safety development plans carried out by the overwhelming majority of establishments last year

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crisis cells

on Wednesday, the government should also welcome the establishment by a circular of December ‘cells crisis “ in each academy, as well as ” security advisors “ embedded in these cells, which will be ” interlocutors “ gendarmes and police.

in a telegram of August 17, Bernard Cazeneuve has also asked the prefects to convene a “security Staff” in each department before school starts. Dedicated to the safety of school spaces, it will around the table the internal security forces and personnel of National Education.

In another development, the government has set a goal to train or raise this year 100% of pupils third (over 810 000 pupils) in first aid practices, against 30% for the past school year.

in terms of communication policy, too, the announces successful year. But the battery of measures she really is before commissioning reassure educational teams?

Against “bunkerisation”

“It takes find the right balance to not be in denial of reality, without yielding to the psychosis, “ argued Francette Popineau, the SNUipp-FSU, the majority union at the primary. It’s in the classroom, working on living together, that teachers have, for the most part, feel they can act to thwart the emergence of terrorist ideas. “Zero risk does not exist, but the bunkerisation can not be a solution,” , it is argued, both in the ranks of the SNES-FSU, the majority in the second degree, and in those the federation of Parents of students CIPF

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“After the dramatic events of the summer, the anxiety of the families is strong, and we are rather reassured that the Government takes into account “ reacts Liliana Moyano, president of the CIPF. Among the major concerns, appears secure “vulnerable areas” in establishments: isolated access, exposed facades, classrooms on the ground floor, playground … “Parents and students are familiar with them, their opinion should be taken into account “ insists M ^me Moyano.

The government, he relies on this to local authorities, institutions owners. The subject is the central evidence. It is but one of the 40 proposals of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the attacks in early July. MEPs advocated in fact “launch a debate with local authorities about securing access to school facilities and small current childhood and future” .

On the subject, the last council of defense and national security convened by the President on August 17 evoked a return “high protection” and officially recorded surrogate called dynamic patrols or mobile static patrols Sentinel soldiers in the vicinity of schools.

There are in France, all confused, 77,000 schools. “to ensure a permanent static guard at the school, I would have mobilized 220 000 police and gendarmes, that is to say almost all of my strength “, recalled Bernard Cazeneuve in January before the parliamentary inquiry.