The lawyer for the Décines school campus (a suburb of Lyon), with 620 students from primary to high school, announced an administrative appeal after the decision of the Rhône prefecture to terminate the contract linking the Muslim establishment to National Education .
Defenders of the Al-Kindi school are now appealing to the head of state. In a press release dated Sunday, the president of the council of mosques of the Rhône, Kamel Kabtane indicated that he had written to Emmanuel Macron to ask him to re-examine the situation of this private Muslim establishment under contract located in Décines, in the eastern suburbs of Lyon. The one who is also rector of the great mosque of Lyon urges the President of the Republic to review the decision of the prefect, Fabienne Buccio, to terminate the contract of this school group with 620 students from primary to final year.
This decision follows a contradictory hearing held in December in the Rhône prefecture, in Lyon. She was summoned following a prefectural referral pointing to the presence of radical Islamist works in the high school library. State services had also pinpointed internal regulations deemed discriminatory or comments made online by a professor, considered contrary to the values of the Republic. The prefectural assessment was based on a report from six inspectors who intervened in the high school in April, pointing out these shortcomings. The latter had also noted significant gaps in the teaching of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the two Gulf wars and the memory of the Shoah.
An administrative appeal
“Far from being a series of isolated facts, these failings and dysfunctions taken together demonstrate a proximity of the Al-Kindi establishments with the thinking of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose project is contrary to the values of the Republic”the prefecture finally estimated to justify its decision at the beginning of January. Al-Kindi's lawyer, Mr.e Sefen Guez Guez then argued, to the Figaro in particular, that the prefecture's criticisms had been taken into account and were subject to modifications even before the December hearing.
The one who also defends the Averroès high school in Lille and the Avicenne college in Nice denounces “a double standard” compared to other religious establishments, notably citing the example of the Stanislas high school in Paris. The latter “was able to keep its agreement by complying”underlines the lawyer, also recalling the good evaluations of Al-Kindi in previous years. He announced an appeal before the administrative court.
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“Islamist works” and “discriminatory regulations”: in Lyon, the last private Muslim high school under contract risks losing its subsidy
“A strong gesture” requested from Emmanuel Macron
In the meantime, it is therefore through the voice of Kamel Kabtane this time that Al-Kindi's supporters denounce «injustice» et «disparity in treatment”. Addressing the head of state directly, the rector of the great mosque of Lyon asks him to “reexamine this situation” by a “strong gesture to reaffirm the principles of equity and justice which must prevail in our country”specifies AFP.
He boasts in Al-Kindi “a model of excellence” with “quality teaching and rigorous pedagogy”. The last Muslim high school under contract in France was in fact known for its 100% baccalaureate success. Kamel Kabtane also called for the financial mobilization of the faithful and announced a collection on the first Friday of the month of Ramadan, at the end of February.
The loss of the contract with National Education and the resulting subsidies (around 1.6 million euros) raises fears for the survival of the establishment. So far, an online fundraiser has already raised 170,000 euros in donations.
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