Aurélie Montassier and Christophe Jan, both school teachers in Chevilly, north of Orléans, co-wrote an illustrated novel entitled “Even Not Funny”, tackling the theme of school bullying.
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Aurélie Montassier, guest of the show You are great this Thursday, January 23, did not arrive alone on the set since she was accompanied by three characters, with different profiles: Martin, Amaury and Margaux.
Amaury the harasser, Martin the harassed, Margaux the witness
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© Illustration de Sofia
Three fictitious students who tell their stories individually in the three chapters of a “not even funny” story, which illustrate a subject that should not be taken lightly: school bullying.
In 2020, during confinement, Aurélie and her colleague Christian Jan, both school teachers, chose to take advantage of their availability to respond to the 10 hours of annual learning devoted to the prevention of school bullying, as part of the program Lighthouse. Each day, they met for an hour by phone to talk, and when restrictions eased and they were able to return to their school, they continued to work together after class.
“It takes time to settle down, to move forward together, to think each in their own corner and then to put together what we have started to write,” confides Aurélie.
Although the school where they teach has, until now, been spared from this scourge, Aurélie and Christian have been able to draw on their thoughts and experiences to create fictitious characters: Martin the victim, Amaury the harasser and Margaux the witness.
This support created for their students to address the issue of harassment was not intended to be widely distributed, but it ultimately followed a completely different destiny.
duration of video: 00h01mn48s
The history of publishing and distribution of the novel
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©France televisions
A copy of the novel was distributed to all schools in the Loiret department and can be used as a working tool by teachers, if they wish. Educational sheets and suggestions are posted online to facilitate the use of this novel in class and offer possible extensions.
“Even not funny” published by Infimes is now read everywhere in France, but also beyond France: in Madagascar, New Caledonia, Abu Dhabi, Reunion Island, Belgium, Quebec.
► On the same subject: “He says I love you, see you tonight, and 2 hours later he is no longer there”: “Dying at 13”, how to stop school bullying
“Being harassed means being the victim on a daily basis and over a long period of time of insults, mockery, verbal and physical violence. This can include racketeering and theft.” and “not even funny” jokes that end up wearing down self-confidence. “It’s not being bothered once on the playground or in the hallways.” Aurélie Montassier makes this distinction between one-off behavior and harassment, in order to highlight its seriousness and recurrence.
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Aurélie Montassier on the set of You are wonderful, co-author of the novel “Even not funny”
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©France televisions
Words that sting hurt like nothing. Repeating emphasis on a particularity, in the form of mockery, ends up hurting and insidiously interferes with the recesses of self-esteem. What seems like a 'not so serious' label or pun becomes increasingly burdensome for the person on the receiving end.
This psychological pain, which takes root in the first school years, can have disastrous consequences if it is not quickly stopped. “Not even funny” raises awareness among children before they enter sixth grade, to make them aware of the issues of school bullying.
This novel has the particularity of offering three chapters, each offering a different point of view. The reader “enters the head” of the harasser, the harassed and the witness, and what happens there is not so simple! This introspection provides access to explanations for behavior, which should not, however, be confused with justifications.
“The role of the witness, played by Margaux, is crucial: by speaking up to say stop, he makes the harassment lose its power, which then ceases to be an act of malevolence and is simply transformed into a conflict.”
Martin is 9 years old and this happy and popular child is impatiently awaiting the start of the school year, but the arrival of a new kid, Amaury, will turn his school year upside down and transform it into hell.
Children are immersed in the story of these three characters without it being explicitly mentioned that it is about illustrating school bullying. Some laugh, others less, until they realize that in reality, it's not funny at all. The story could have ended tragically if Martin had not woken up after swallowing medicine.
In each life of the protagonists, small characteristics allow the students to identify and feel involved, to say to themselves: “Ah, me too…”
“Twenty-four students in a class represent twenty-four profiles with different psychology and family patterns. Everyone comes with their own baggage, like everyone else, except that they are children who also feel their emotions.”
This novel is a story of raising awareness about living better together, because it's still funnier when it ends well!
Whether you are a young victim or witness to a case of school harassment and/or digital violence, you can contact the listeners of the 3018 :
► See you this Thursday, January 23, 2025 in the show You are wonderful with Aurélie Montassier and the daily good humor of your presenters.
The other guests of the week will also be on set every day from 10:00 a.m. on France 3 Centre-Val de Loire.
- Monday January 20: Damien Venot, rabbit breeder at the Cahute farm in Villermain in Loir-et-Cher
- Tuesday January 21 : Jocelyn Falconnet, paleontologist, Head of paleontological collections at the Orléans Museum for Biodiversity and the Environment (MOBE)
- Wednesday January 22: Henry-Louis Aubanel, president of KravMagaTours
- Friday January 24: The best moments of the week.
Cuisine, nature, sport, culture, themes represented by the guests from our regional territory. “You are wonderful” to watch again, in replay on the france.tv website.
