In his speech on separatism, the head of state decided to stigmatise home education by creating an insulting amalgam between a legal education choice and extremism. Unilaterally he imposes an end to the possibility of educating children outwith a school structure, as of September 2021.
The association LED’A (Les Enfants d’Abord – Children First) which is a group of parents and children, who have made the conscious and alternative choice of taking charge of their education, sends its thanks to Emmanuel Macron. Since his statement, membership of the association has quadrupled.
None the less LED’A refutes all association with any violent movement whatsoever. The families are stunned by the violence and injustice of Emmanuel Macron’s remarks and demand a public apology from the current tenant of the Elysée.
Already in the margins of how other families are treated, parents who educate their children outwith school, now demand the same rights and benefits allocated those who frequent school. LED’A demands that the back-to-school allowance (ARS) now also be awarded to families who invest in the education of their children.
The bias of figures given (50,000 children) by Emmanuel Macron during his speech is simply the result of the lowering of the age of compulsory education from 6 to 3 years old (since 2019). At the very least this shows how inappropriate this decision is, which contradicts the natural rhythm of children to enter a system of formal learning at such a young age. LED’A calls for a return to compulsory education beginning at the age of 6 years.
LED’A wishes to remind Emmanuel Macron that in a lawful state, liberty is the rule. In the spirit of the Republic, families practicing IEF (elective home education) are contacting their parliamentary representatives to assert their position by meeting with representative of both chambers. 18 months from the presidential and legislative elections, the families concerned by this freedom which is often a life style choice, are firmly determined to not be downtrodden.
Les Enfants D’Abord, Media Team