Ei-iE

French teacher unions have issued a joint statement following on the recent district elections in France, which have seen a growth in support for the far right party, the National Front, asserting that “educators oppose the policies of the extreme right.“

In the declaration, EI’s French affiliates, the SGEN-CFDT, the UNSA Education, the FSU (union federation to which the SNEP, the SNES, the SNETAP and the SNUipp belong) and the FERC-CGT, said that “education staff teach co-operation and exchange; we work towards education and empowerment for all young people. That is why we cannot remain passive when the far right’s ideas gain support within the population.” The unions also added that “the far right promotes hatred between ethnic groups and continually and unacceptably links immigration to insecurity. It seizes opportunities given by the effects of the economic and social crises, which increase inequalities and social injustices, to resort to scapegoating and pit one group against another.” The unions also stated that “as educators, we promote the Republic’s values daily; as unionists, our struggle is guided by the values of solidarity and social justice.” EI joins its member organisations in their uncompromising defence of education as a public service available to all.