French teacher suspended for minute of silence in solidarity with Gaza
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A French teacher was suspended for honoring the victims of the war on Gaza, prompting union outrage and comparisons to official support for Ukraine tributes.
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Eric Coquerel, a parliament member of the far-left La France Insoumise (The Unbowed) party attends a demonstration outside Sciences-Po university in Paris, Friday, April 26, 2024 (AP)
A French teacher in the city of Sens has been suspended for nearly two months after she observed a minute of silence for the victims of the Israeli occupation's war on Gaza, a gesture that authorities claim violated the principle of state neutrality.
The decision has ignited fierce backlash from unions and political figures who say the punishment is unjustified and contradicts previous government statements.
The Dijon education authority stated: “Respecting neutrality is a duty for civil servants, enshrined in their status, and any failure to comply with this obligation triggers disciplinary proceedings.” The authority also claimed that “the minute's silence had been organised by the teacher.”
Students initiated the tribute
However, the education branches of three major trade unions rejected this version of events, stating that the tribute was initiated by the students themselves. “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.
They described the disciplinary action as "insane" and insisted that the teacher’s decision "in no way constitutes a breach of the duty of neutrality.” Their statement demanded the teacher’s immediate reinstatement, the dropping of all charges, and the restoration of her dignity “in the eyes of the school, staff and parents.”
Unions cite official support for Ukraine tributes
In a pointed critique, the unions cited remarks by Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, who in February acknowledged “the role of teachers in addressing the plight of the victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and paying tribute to them,” noting that such gestures mirrored “the actions in support of Ukraine,” according to the press release.
The suspension has also drawn condemnation from prominent political figures, including Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Socialist Party, who criticized the education authority’s decision as punitive and tone-deaf.
Children dying en masse in Gaza
At least 57 Gaza children have perished from the effects of malnutrition since the aid blockade began on March 2, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which cited early May figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Speaking at a UN press briefing in Geneva, WHO representative for the West Bank and Gaza, Richard Peeperkorn, described the crisis as “one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies,” driven by what he called the “deliberate obstruction” of humanitarian aid, including food and medicine.
The severity of the situation is underscored by the latest findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which now places the entire population of Gaza, approximately 2.1 million people, at critical risk of famine following 19 months of war, mass displacement, and aid restrictions.
Between April 1 and May 10, 93% of Gaza’s population (1.95 million people) were classified in IPC Phase 3 or above, indicating food crisis conditions or worse. This includes 244,000 people in IPC Phase 5 (catastrophe), the highest level of food insecurity, and 925,000 in Phase 4 (emergency).
