I often hear the phrase: young people are the same everywhere now, this is the generation of the Internet, TikTok and all sorts of nonsense.
But there is such a beautiful country - France, where on top of all this one more theme is laid down in a thick layer - the theme of secularism and republican values.
They are spoken about on screens, newspapers write about them, everyone will certainly have already formed some kind of opinion on this matter, however, it will not always be on the side of the republic, especially among the youth.
And this is the paradox.
Those who should be taught all these freedoms, equalities and fraternities in schools come there already with a clearly formed attitude that these principles are empty zilch.
And it often fails to convince them.
The subject of the controversy mainly revolves around Islam.
Recent polls have shown that 49% of teachers (up 12% over the past three years) are forced to censor themselves.
Regardless of the subject, they have unpleasant situations every now and then.
A teacher at one of the Parisian colleges told how a 13-year-old student began to argue with him that man did not go from a monkey, but Allah created him.
In Bouches-du-Rhône, there was a case when a girl did not want to do gymnastics in class because she needed to touch a boy "who does not even observe Ramadan."
Problems also arise in the lessons of art, biology, technology, history, geography.
Teachers openly sign their own powerlessness, because the influence and upbringing of families is colossal, the authority of the father / imam is indisputable.
And then some kind of another religion rubs something on them.
Who will listen to her!
It's also about the perception of religion.
For Christians, these are, rather, some kind of moral guidelines.
For Muslims, these are clearly written rules that determine your whole life, from the simplest everyday moments to high philosophy, they govern society (each imam, however, interprets them in his own way).
There are no problems with ordinary Islam in France.
This religion is professed by millions, quietly coexisting with all other confessions.
But it is not the first year that a radicalization of a separate part of the Muslim community has been observed, when dogmas alien to French realities, which often contradict republican values, are taken as a basis.
These ideas conquer one region after another, then they begin to impose them on those around them (actively and aggressively), demand that religious principles replace French laws - and then a story that is dangerous for France arises: political Islam.
And this is completely different.
For insulting a prophet in Saudi Arabia, they can chop off the head by a court decision, in France now they also hack - only by decision of social media users.
This is exactly how, on a false denunciation of a girl whose father sympathizes with radical Islamists, teacher Samuel Pati was executed in broad daylight.
It was his fault that he decided to discuss freedom of speech using the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, published in Charlie Hebdo.
And while some grieved, the network was flooded with enthusiastic approving comments in support of the killer.
This was followed by a hundred opened cases for the justification of terrorism and several sentences to real terms.
But there were also young people who were not afraid to openly condemn the barbaric decapitation (a little, because they are afraid).
At that time, 16-year-old girl Mila decided to record a video for Instagram.
Relying on freedom of speech, the lover of same-sex love sent Islam, the Koran, religion and everything else on a long walk.
In response, she began to receive 200 messages per minute (!) With threats of violence, rape, and just insults.
A little time passed - she posted another video, where she already attacked her ill-wishers in very harsh terms and showed screenshots.
In response, she received a new wave, but such that she was forced to take under state protection.
The girl had to drop out of college, live in a bunker in the constant environment of the police, like the surviving employees of Charlie Hebdo.
Existence became unbearable.
A friend decided to support her: she posted on Twitter a photo of herself on Republic Square, where she is holding the anniversary issue of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which was published from a distance before the start of the trial in the case of the execution of the editorial office.
On the cover there are several cartoons and the inscription: "All this is for this."
So what?
On the part of the French public - a wave of hatred, on the part of Twitter - the deletion of her account.
That is, her photo with a newspaper is a provocation worthy of a ban, and calls to kill for opinion are quite normal content for the company.
It is clear that the cartoons themselves and the work of Charlie Hebdo are disgusting for many, although supporters of secularism (including at the state level) try to identify them with the concept of "freedom", make them a symbol and embodiment of the values of the republic (as if nothing else is not left).
It's clear that their pictures are designed to hurt the feelings of people, they do it well, but you can't shoot and cut heads for this!
Although the French youth are gradually changing their bearings.
In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in radical ideas.
If you look at where this is happening, a lot becomes clear: these are areas of compact residence of communities united by geography (the Middle East and North Africa) and religion.
These are mainly the outskirts of cities, living within their own ethnic culture, which is often very different from traditional French.
It is there that the basement Islamic schools for girls appear, it is there that they do not walk down the street without headscarves, and it is there that you will not meet a woman in a cafe.
And there, in such areas, young inexperienced teachers are sent to tell children about the values of the republic for one hour a week.
Moreover, among schoolchildren in some educational institutions, radical Islam already dominates the minds.
Hence the self-censorship of teachers: they are afraid, are silent, they cave in.
59% of teachers say that laicism is under threat of extinction in schools, because children are increasingly isolated within their religious communities, not taking part in the cultural life around.
The Secretary of State for Youth Affairs of France Sarah El Airy talked with the same youth of 15-20 years in the city of Poitiers some time after the murder of teacher Samuel Pati.
The conversation quickly ended: the official was demanded to prohibit blasphemy, to allow hijabs in schools, and when she offered to sing the French anthem together, two girls from the audience threw her that this was actually a "warlike" and "barbaric" chant.
The secretary of state remained in deep shock and demanded that Prime Minister Jean Casteks inspect 1,200 such centers, where debates are being held with money from the Ministry of Education.
Another example of the fact that Republican France is losing the battle for the minds of young people.
A small group of students founded the Last Hope Association.
These people openly condemn the murder of Party, express support for Mile, say that young people are lost, hatred reigns in the corridors of educational institutions.
Defenders of secularism are in the minority.
Freedom and brotherhood have given way to aggression, domination and intolerance of dissent.
They are for a secular France, where everyone coexists in peace and respect.
They are told in response that laicism forbids wearing the veil and attacks Islam.
They are called racists, Arabophobes and Islamophobes.
And of course, they threaten to kill both themselves and their parents - the address of their residence has already been posted on the Internet.
The collective hopes that the republican values will prevail in the ongoing transformation of French society.
But judging by the name "Last Hope", even they have little confidence in this.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.