A French history teacher who was suspended last November for
providing pro-life materials and showing images of aborted babies during
a debate about abortion in his tenth grade class has been fired from
the National Education system.
Mr Philippe Isnard, 40, lost his position without salary, benefits,
or any right to financial compensation via the social welfare system,
Lifesitenews has reported.
Mr Isnard said he was “stunned” by the
severity of the decision, even though he was beyond hoping for complete
exoneration.
Revocation is the harshest possible disciplinary measure for a
teacher in the French public education system.
A full revocation can
only be pronounced by the Education minister himself.
It ends the
teaching career of the father-of-two in all state-funded schools.
The controversy began last autumn when several parents started a
public campaign against the history teacher after he showed students
aged 15 to 16 graphic video footage entitled, No Need to Argue.
The French mainstream media were quick to pick up the story.
The
campaign provoked angry media reactions calling on the Education
ministry to take measures against Mr Isnard.
The education minister, Luc Chatel, responded by publicly criticising
the teacher, saying, “What has happened is unacceptable.
Professors
are under obligation to respect neutrality and to have respect for the
person.”
Shortly after Mr Isnard was temporarily suspended in November, a
“psychological counselling unit” was set up at Les Iscles high school to
support students who had participated in the abortion debate.
Reportedly, no students have made use of its services.
The local
Planned Parenthood was also invited into Les Iscles high school to
follow up the debate, meeting with the students in groups of five.
For his part, Mr Isnard has argued that he encouraged debate in the
class. Students were encouraged to bring their own material, either for
or against abortion, while Isnard himself provided Simone Veil’s
Assembly speech promoting the first French law legalising abortion, now
known as the Loi Veil, pro-life video clips, a pro-life tract and No Need to Argue.
He says he warned his students about the shocking nature of some of
the materials to be presented and told them they were free to leave the
class if they wished.
Last month Mr Isnard’s case went before a mixed commission of
teachers’ union members and representatives of the Academic hierarchy of
Aix-Marseille.
According to information leaked, after the six-hour
hearing all 38 members of the disciplinary commission voted for a
disciplinary measure to be pronounced.
Mr Isnard says he intends to appeal the minister’s decision. He has
also created a pro-life group in his private capacity viz. ProVie
France.
When asked whether he considered it appropriate to show graphic
pictures of abortion to students aged 15 or 16, Mr Isnard said that the
French National Education system considers such students as sexually
mature.
He pointed out that they receive information about
contraception and abortion around age 13 or 14 and can obtain the
morning-after pill in school infirmaries without their parents’
knowledge or consent.
“If they’re considered old enough to be sexually active, they should
also be made aware of the consequences of their actions,” he said.