Commemoration of November 11 at school: a “very regrettable controversy”, considers Alice Rufo

The controversy in the teaching world surrounding the commemoration at the school of the Armistice of November 11, 1918 is “very regrettable”, judged Wednesday the Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Alice Rufo. “November 11 is a celebration of peace. I find this controversy to be very regrettable,” she declared on TF1.

A circular published at the beginning of July establishes an annual ceremony “tribute to all those who died for France” for students from CM1 to final year around November 11, in which elected officials or soldiers could participate. Unions have denounced a “militarization” of schools and a risk of political exploitation a few months before the presidential election. The Association of History and Geography Teachers was concerned at the start of the calendar for this ceremony, recommended being vigilant about the “school climate” and refusing “any presence of political representatives, a few months before a presidential election which is already a factor of tension”.

“A total disrespect” of the memory of dead soldiers

The Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin estimated on Europe1/CNews that it was “a total disrespect” of the memory of the soldiers who died for France. And, she added, “school is a sharing of memory, a place where we learn citizenship.” Far from being an exploitation, November 11 is a “moment of collective belonging” with former soldiers who come to share their testimonies. “It’s superb and it allows these students to work on wonderful themes,” she said, citing in particular women in the resistance or the Senegalese riflemen. “Why deprive ourselves of this transmission?” she finally asked herself.