CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION
CHILDISH REACTION BY EDUCATION CHIEFS AS BRETONS OCCUPY SCHOOL
Breton parents who wish their children to be taught bilingually took the unusual step this week of occupying a classroom at a school in L'Orient to protest against the education authority's refusal to appoint a teacher.
Paradoxically, the class facility has been refurbished as a bilingual unit. However the authorities say that when they considered allocating teacher resources only six potential students were identified. They also assert that adequate facilities exist elsewhere near L'Orient. However, the parents have hit back at this typical example of French state education bureaucracy with direct action.
The issue has also taken on political connotations, with Education officials refusing to speak to parents because a Breton flag was posted on the class door and some protesters including the children displayed badges in Breton.
This display of pique by the Education service calls into question their ability to respond impartially to the reasonable concerns. After all what can be more reasonable in Brittany than wanting your child taught Breton?
The League have sent queries to the French Embassies in London and Dublin and also to the Education Ministry in Paris (see below).
J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League
24/09/05
"Gilles de Robien 110, rue de Grenelle 75357 PARIS 07 France
Dear Sir,
I enclose news reports in French and English referring to the situation where parents had to occupy a school in L'Orient to emphasise their preference to have their children taught bilingually.
Can you explain what the French government finds so unreasonable about the desire of Bretons to have their children educated in their own language?
Can you also clarify the extraordinarily immature response which has been shown by local education officials to the parents protest?
It is a continuing disappointment that the French State fails to apply parity of esteem in relation to its policy towards the Breton language.
Yours sincerely,
J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League
■