Thierry Pajot said Sunday that the decision that had to be made was to close all schools in red-zone areas on Monday as The Voice faces heatwave disruption. The president of Syndicat des directeurs et directrices d'écoles, or S2DÉ, said he would have preferred the minister to say plainly: tomorrow, schools close.
The Éducation nationale announced that 845 schools and colleges will be closed Monday, while about 1,800 other establishments will adjust their schedules. Météo-France is placing 49 départements under red heatwave warning on Monday, making the closures the immediate response for the first day of the week.
Thierry Pajot and S2DÉ
Pajot also said on franceinfo on Sunday 21 June that parents are often warned late. He gave the example of being told on a Sunday between 18h30 and 19h, and said that creates problems for families trying to organize the next day.
He added that many establishments in red zones should be closed on Monday, and estimated there would be more than 1,000 closures in total. His remark points to a gap between the 845 closures announced by the Éducation nationale and the wider set of decisions still being made locally.
Éducation nationale Monday
The syndicate said on Sunday evening that it was still receiving reports from mayors deciding to close establishments in their communes. That means the number affected can still rise beyond the 845 closures and the 1,800 schedule changes already set out.
Pajot said he did not want anyone to learn that a pupil or a member of staff had died because of the heatwave. For families and school staff, the practical step is simple: check whether the establishment has moved to closure or changed hours before Monday morning.
