The city of Béziers will experiment with school uniforms in “two months”, announces Mayor Robert Ménard

A decade after proposing to experiment with wearing a uniform at school, Robert Ménard has his revenge. The various right-wing mayor of Béziers declared Thursday January 11 that his city would set up the testing phase in “four elementary schools” in the city, within “two months”. “The city and the State will each finance half” of the kit, estimated at €200, explains the councilor on Sud Radio.

“We had the class councils vote,” says the mayor of the city of Béziers. They voted “yes”, and here we are on the choice of uniforms. I thought (the children, Editor's note) would want a polo shirt, but not at all! They want a blazer (striped jacket in school colors, Editor's note). Is it because of the presence in Hollywood films in the United States? It is surprising."

Appointed Prime Minister on Tuesday, Gabriel Attal, then Minister of National Education, said at the end of last July that he was in favor of experimenting with the uniform “if the educational community of an establishment” requests it. This announcement came in the midst of controversy surrounding the wearing of the abaya, a long traditional covering dress worn by certain Muslim students and then considered by the government as an ostentatious religious sign contrary to the law.

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“When I became mayor ten years ago, I was called all the names,” recalls Robert Ménard. I was simply asking what existed in high schools of excellence or overseas.”

To date, the school uniform, although worn in many countries, is only worn in mainland France in rare public establishments such as military high schools or in the educational establishments of the Legion of Honor. , reserved for daughters, granddaughters and great-granddaughters of those decorated with the Legion of Honor. They wear a navy blue pinafore dress and a white blouse.

Several private establishments also require it, or have implemented a fairly strict dress code. Overseas, the wearing of uniforms is much more widespread, notably in Martinique and Guadeloupe as well as in Guyana and New Caledonia, including in public establishments. It is a practice that has remained well established since May 1968, when the uniform was banned from public schools in mainland France. A third of public establishments in Martinique require it, for example.