Violence in extracurriculars: “A culture of vigilance is taking hold in our schools”, assures the deputy mayor of Paris

“A culture of vigilance is gradually taking hold in our public schools” to fight against physical and sexual violence in after-school education, said Monday May 18 on ICI Paris ÃŽle-de-France the deputy mayor of Paris Marine Rosset in charge of community life, public debate, conventions and citizen initiative referendums.

The Paris public prosecutor’s office has opened investigations into 84 nursery schools, around twenty elementary schools and around ten Parisian daycare centers, prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced on Sunday. “The necessary measures to protect children were taken at the Paris council meeting of April 14”recalls the elected official, with, for example, automatic suspensions at the slightest report and a 20 million euro plan announced at the beginning of April by the new mayor of Paris just after his election.

A citizens’ convention will meet for the first time Monday evening at Paris City Hall, in the presence of Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire. She “must make it possible to make recommendations which will enlighten the executive so that, from September, some of them can be put in place”adds the deputy mayor. According to her, “it is now a matter of refounding [le périscolaire]so that these times can allow the protection and development of all Parisian children.”

Marine Rosset explains that 80 parents are participating in this convention. She believes that there was “a craze for this convention when we solicited all Parisian families who have children in elementary or kindergarten. We received more than 1,500 volunteers.” Un panel représentatif de parents a été tiré au sort “under bailiff control” and it’s them “who will start working this evening to propose recommendations to the Parisian executive.”

Three subjects will be addressed during this convention: “question of the scenarios of the week” (four days, four and a half days, five days); THE “organizational aspects” (recruitment, training); and the question of “contents” during these extracurricular times. The convention will deliver its conclusions in a month and the recommendations will be voted on at the Paris Council in July.

After-school leaders, on strike for a week, planned to demonstrate on Tuesday, worried about automatic suspensions.