In French lycées, the delicate but necessary debate around secularism
Tributes have multiplied in France since the attack which targeted Samuel Paty, a history professor in charge of civic education.
REUTERS / Pascal Rossignol
Text by: Laurence Théault
4 min
How to teach secularism and freedom of expression at school in France?
Our journalist Laurence Théault attended, a few weeks ago, a debate on secularism between final year students at the Lycée Saint-Just in Lyon.
The theme: Islam, Republic and freedom of expression.
A debate organized as part of a civic education course, a subject also taught by Samuel Paty, a history teacher assassinated on Friday October 16, 2020 for showing caricatures to his students.
Publicity
Read more
From elementary school to secondary school, secularism is on the program in schools in France.
In high school, it finds its place in the course "Civic and moral education".
It is in this context, and to talk about freedom of expression, that Samuel Paty had shown the cartoons.
A few weeks ago, our journalist Laurence Théault was in Lyon, where she attended a debate between students of terminal science, technology and management at the Lycée Saint-Just.
Mila affair, fantasies, clichés ... points of view are opposed.
Hence the need to talk about and explain in teaching.
For their history teacher, Jean-Michel Vasquez, it is very important that the students can listen to each other, argue and debate among themselves, without the intervention of the teacher.
For me, freedom of expression means expressing your opinion while respecting others.
Listen to our report in a lycée in Lyon
Laurence Théault
■ Tribute to Samuel Paty
Friday October 16, 2020, Samuel Paty, a history-geography professor, was cowardly and obnoxiously beheaded for teaching freedom of expression.
This Wednesday, October 21 in the evening, a national tribute will be paid to him, which you will be able to listen to on RFI from 7:10 p.m. Paris time (5:10 p.m. UT).
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Education
Religion
Islam
France
On the same subject
France: "We cannot ask the school to be in a position to face Islamism"