A end-of-school-year trip to college might conjure images of buses heading to Italy, WWII memorials, or the Louvre Pyramid. All of this interspersed with history teacher’s dusty exhibits. In Pouilly-en-Auxois, Barbara Liagre planned to send her son, a fourth grader, on a trip to Slovenia to explore the life of a poet held in a concentration camp. However, on the first day of school, she discovers that this story of Slavic poetry is part of a “defense class.” “We were not informed, nor asked for our opinion, much less explained what it was all about,” she recalls. Among other things, the idea is to compel teenagers to visit barracks to marvel at the Army’s big toys. Behind these displays of power, a subtle blackmail ensues by the military over the entire teaching staff: leave us your children, and you’ll have your school outings.
Created in 2005 to “strengthen the bond between its students and the representatives of the uniformed corps in the service of the Republic,” according to the Ministry of National Education, defense and global security classes have long remained marginal. Often chosen by teachers wanting to organize projects related to memory or citizenship. A commemoration here, a few museum visits there. Nothing too serious. But how is it that these partnerships with our uniformed boots have exploded in the past five years? “There were 160 classes in 2016, approximately 1,200 today, with around 32,000 students involved during the 2025-2026 school year,” rejoices the Ministry of Education. Regardless, recruiting must be done, and war must be prepared, no matter the cost. Best to start early. Third-year internships, defense citizen rallies for middle schoolers and even more…
[Context: The article discusses the controversial practice of sending students on military-related trips as part of a defense class without parental consent.] [Fact Check: The Ministry of Education highlights the considerable growth in the number of classes focusing on defense and security in recent years.]
