One-day Actions, Reforms Won’t Cut It Teacher Strike Sweeps France

PARIS, September 27 — Today, over 350,000 teachers struck and 165,000 demonstrated across France to fight mass layoffs, overcrowded classes and potential increases in working hours. Today’s actions were notable because public and parochial school teachers were acting together for the first time. Historically, the two groups have been opposed. (Eighty percent of pupils attend public schools and 20% go to private schools, 95% of which are Catholic.)

The force driving this unity, at least temporarily, is the government policy of replacing only one of every two retiring teachers. Education Minister Luc Chatel confirmed a government cut of 14,000 teaching jobs next year, following the 80,000 jobs already axed since 2007.

Over half the 322,000 public primary school teachers and almost half the 394,000 public secondary school teachers struck. The walkout was “strong” in the Catholic schools in western France, the bastion of parochial education. Nearly one-third of the private school teachers struck, entirely closing down some schools, “an unheard-of event.”

Today, 165,000 teachers demonstrated, some 45,000 marching here in the capital. But Guillaume, a high school math teacher, declared, “I don’t have any illusions. This is a big demonstration, and that is good for morale, but the balance of forces isn’t in our favor yet.”

But the major weakness of the teachers’ movement is its aim, to patch up the school system while leaving capitalism untouched, continually building up what the profit system tears down. How much better to build a movement to destroy capitalism and create a system truly serving the working class!

“It’s intolerable for primary classes to be overcrowded,” said high school teacher Philippe Hivernet, who teaches in Paris’s eastern suburbs. “The educational system is being destroyed and struggling pupils are the main ones to suffer.”

“Primary school classes with 32 or 33 pupils make good working conditions impossible. Education is being dehumanized,” said primary school teacher Giselle Skriabil.

In France there are 6.1 teachers per 100 students, compared to many other European countries with eight or more per 100.

“The problem is that education is not a service. We are supposed to be profitable, whereas you can’t put a figure on children’s education,” said retired primary school teacher Annie Gérard.

Polls show esteem for the nation’s school system plummeting due to government policies. Teachers felt encouraged to strike and demonstrate because they knew they’d get popular backing.

Moreover, all of the opposition parties, from the center to the “left” to the ecologists, have been using the ailing school system as a pre-campaign theme, diverting workers towards the run-up to next  year’s presidential elections.

But it would be a serious mistake to believe these politicians’ sugar-coated phrases. All are dedicated to maintaining and protecting capitalism. As Lenin wrote, “People have always been the foolish victims of deception and self-deception in politics, and they always will be until they have learned to seek out the interests of some class or other behind all moral, religious, political and social phrases, declarations and promises.”

Rank-and-file pressure forced all union leaders to back the protests. But Hugo, a 26-year-old student, warned, “We mustn’t limit ourselves to a one-day strike. For retirement pensions, we blocked the refineries and that put on the pressure….We shouldn’t wait for the trade unions to take the initiative, everybody should mobilize in every economic sector.”

“Protesting is good, but fighting back is a whole lot better,” said Alain Bonhomme, the father of a high school student.

Other teacher grievances include, an increase in the number of different jobs teachers are supposed to perform; the lack of recognition; closure of kindergarten to children under two; the impossibility of helping the pupils who face the most difficulties; and the savaging of teacher training. In addition, the system fosters racism (see box on left). 

It’s also becoming difficult to recruit teachers. Last year, 1,000 teaching jobs remained unfilled because not enough candidates passed the competitive exam. Some universities are closing their teacher-training courses due to a lack of demand.

The French government, however, is considering increasing class hours. Right-wing think-tanks are pushing a doubling of working and class hours.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy attempted to split the working class by pitting factory workers against the teachers. “My duty as head of state is to think first of the factory workers, white collar workers and executives who are facing international competition and who need the support of the government, rather than to think of those who do a hard job but whose status as civil servants protects them [against unemployment],” Sarkozy said today.

But when private sector workers strike for higher wages, the government is quick to point out that private sector wages are generally higher than in the public sector. The majority of workers here see through the bosses’ effort to divide and rule. Private and public sector workers usually support one another’s struggles.

Sarkozy’s words betrayed the rulers’ real fear. Workers and teachers, united and led by a communist party could overthrow the capitalists and their government and create an educational system that prepares all children to make a useful contribution to a communist society. Then, the watchword will be: “To each according to need, from each according to commitment.”J