What on earth is going on here?

[Pickles]

I think I get the gist of it, but if the report below is reasonably accurate, it would appear that the "village idiot theory of the internet" is alive and well ...

http://www.midilibre.fr/2014/01/29/de-fausses-rumeurs-sur-la-theorie-du-genre-a-l-ecole-inquietent-des-parents,814787.php

[NormanH]

I think it is rather more sinister than the village idiot.

It is a reaction by fundamentalist religious groups spreading disinformation against a programme which is intended to teach such things as "les valeurs d’égalité et de respect entre les filles et les garçons

la notion d’égalité (hommes-femmes, mais aussi entre les religions, les origines géographiques, etc

et donc à apprendre à respecter l’autre, celui qui est différent mais égal.

http://www.midilibre.fr/2014/01/28/abcd-de-l-egalite-des-inquietudes,814720.php

In other words a bit of equality and multiculturalism à la UK

It seems that this suits neither Islamic not Catholic fundamentalists, and there are extreme right wing elements that are spreading false rumours among which "l’homosexualité enseignée et imposée dès la maternelle",

"homosexualité, bisexualité et transsexualité dans tous les programmes

scolaires".

Of course those towns and quarters where religious groups have a strong hold especially among immigrant groups (such as my own) are the ones which are seeing the results in terms of children being kapt away from school

[woolybanana]

Yes, Pickles, it is a nice one this; the school curriculum is trying to reduce sexism and discrimination. However, certain elements in the population, mainly via the internet, have tried to say that the purpose is to turn little boys into little girls by getting them to cross dress, play with dollies etc.

Pure sexism in itself, really.

[woolybanana]

Oooops, Norman got there first.

However, one thing that is apparent at the moment is the rise of Catholic fundamentalism again in France. The beast has been awakened by changes to the abortion law, making it easier for women to obtain, and the whole gay marriage issue. I suspect it is being orchestrated by opus dei, fresh from their success in getting abortion more or less banned again in Spain.

[Pickles]

[quote user="NormanH"]I think it is rather more sinister than the village idiot.

It is a reaction by fundamentalist religious groups spreading disinformation

....

It seems that this suits neither Islamic not Catholic fundamentalists, and there are extreme right wing elements that are spreading false rumours

....

Of course those towns and quarters where religious groups have a strong hold especially among immigrant groups (such as my own) are the ones which are seeing the results in terms of children being kept away from school [/quote]

Hmmmm ... yes, I was thinking along similar lines. It's one of those situations where you realise that if you've got all those groups (plus those mentioned by WB) ranged against you, you're probably doing something right ...

[Chancer]

Its a shame that the kids that are most in need of a good education are being taken out of school by their parents, they lose anough of their education due to strikes anyway, I bet the teachers go out out next in protest against the parents!!!!

[Chancer]

To re-inforce that the kids from these backgrounds need little excuse to avoid school/college/lycée. I saw my colleague tonight she said that she only had 11 out of a class of 25 students on Monday because of the snow, it snowed for less than 3 minutes, just a few flakes during a rainstorm, nothing settled and many of them on seeing the absenteeism announced that they would not be in the next day.

She too has had students off in protest against this ficticious polemique, it seems countrywide.