Advent calendars at school are “fully compatible with the principles of secularism”, writes the Minister of National Education, Anne Genetet in a document that franceinfo was able to consult, Sunday December 1, and which is intended for secularism referents in academies. The minister recalls that the Advent calendar is an object “societal and educational” linked to Christmas which is a celebration “largely secularized today.”
She wants to close “the start of controversy in Aisne” while officials of certain public schools were called to order, in an email, for having used the Advent calendar, the newspaper said The Union, Friday. The president of the Hauts-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand, was outraged on Sunday, questioning the Minister of National Education on this subject, on his X account.
This request “prohibition” comes from “on an individual initiative”certified Anne Genetet in an SMS addressed to Xavier Bertrand and which franceinfo was able to consult. This information “was not brought to the attention of the rector, nor of DASEN nor of the academic head of the values of the Republic and therefore even less of myself”explains the minister.
The rector of the Amiens academy also gave his version in a letter addressed to the Minister of National Education. In this note, which franceinfo was able to consult, Pierre Moya writes that “the email sent to the school directors of the Soissons district” and written by “an inspector”, contains statements “marred by errors both on the educational level and on those of history and law”.
On Monday, to reinforce her remarks addressed privately to the president of the Hauts-de-France regional council, the Minister of National Education will therefore send a message to the secularism referents of the academies. She will recall the rules of secularism. In this message, Anne Genetet indicates that “Christmas is recognized as a legal holiday and public holiday, enshrined in the Labor Code”. A party “largely secularized today” Who “is part of our common cultural heritage”.
Thus, the Advent calendars which multiply at the beginning of December, should be considered as “societal and educational objects”, writes the minister. Their usefulness? “Teach students the structuring of time and the management of waiting, particularly in cycles 1 and 2”.
“Their use in class is fully compatible with the principles of secularism, as long as they do not convey any religious content”decides the Minister of Education. Anne Genetet makes it clear that “any presentation or production of calendars with explicitly religious content should be prohibited to strictly respect the principles of neutrality of public schools.”
