three ex-ministers call for “not to give in to pressure”

Three former ministers, Nicole Belloubet, Aurore Bergé and Frédéric Valletoux, call for “not to give in to pressure” and to implement the emotional and sexual life education program called into question by elected officials and conservative organizations.

Three ex-ministers call, in a column published in La Tribune on Sunday, to “not give in to pressure” and to implement the emotional and sexual life education program called into question by elected officials and conservative organizations.

“The program that we have built has nothing ideological: it is pragmatic and concrete,” assert Nicole Belloubet (Renaissance), former Minister of National Education, Aurore Bergé (Ensemble), former Minister Delegate responsible for Equality between Women and Men, and Frédéric Valletoux (Horizons), former Minister of Health.

Fight against erroneous and violent representations

“Opponents of this program use words like 'gender theory' to sow doubt and confusion. This expression is not included in the program!”, they write.

“We must not give in to these pressures. Yes, education in emotional life, relationships and sexuality arouses debates, but these must not slow down its implementation,” they continue.

“Today, it is pornographic content that is establishing itself as the primary vector of sexual education for our adolescents. They transmit erroneous, violent and stereotypical representations of relationships,” add the ex-ministers who co-signed this text with Véronique Riotton, president of the women's rights delegation, and Guillaume Gouffier Valente, Ensemble deputies.

The Minister Delegate (LR) for Academic Success Alexandre Portier judged before the Senate on Wednesday that the current text was “not acceptable” as it stands, promising to “personally commit to ensuring that the 'gender theory'” , which would deny sexual differences, “does not find its place in our schools”.

Catholic education wants a revamped program

“A minister should never help spread false information. Especially not on such a sensitive subject,” retort the three ex-ministers.

While ensuring that they “share the ambitions of the program”, Catholic education and the parents' association of the Free School (APEL) expressed “serious reservations” on Friday as to its content and asked that it be “deeply revised”.

The content of the program had previously been criticized by conservative organizations such as the Family Union, ex-Manif pour tous or SOS Education.

The Minister of National Education Anne Genetet supported this program on Friday, ensuring that “the machine is launched”. The text must be presented on December 12 to the Higher Education Council (CSE), a consultative body, with a view to implementation at the start of the 2025 school year.

The law since 2001 has made sex education compulsory in schools, middle and high schools, with at least three sessions per year, but is, in fact, little respected.