Ah..... The Muslim women survived.... I didn't realise that.
Yep. One was injured pretty seriously, including a punctured lung. The other had more defensive wounds (hands, etc). Pretty vile escalation of violence.
This issue was being debated here not many days before the incident.
Some of us drew attention to possible outcomes.
Fair enough. I wasn't a part of those discussions, so I'll not comment further.
It wouldn't be about what you thought, surely?
Teachers follow layed down lesson plans, well, they are supposed to here.
I've studied a few schooling models, but not much on the French, so I'm guessing a little here.
But even the highly prescriptive UK National Curriculum allows for teaching activities to be conducted outside the boundaries of the National Curriculum. It's not like the entirety of a school day is prescribed in absolute detail.
This is from the UK Dept of education in relation to the National Curriculum:
The national curriculum is just one element in the education of every child. There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The national curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
The French system similarly provides a framework, and then topics and resources to support this, including lesson plans. Whilst I can't seem to access the French National Curriculum directly, the lesson the teacher was conducting was part of it, with Charlie Hedbo a suggested topic.
It works all ways. Minority groups which try to have their own schooling agenda can lose funding or be closed if they don't respond to inspection reports. But mainstream schools can't do as they please either.
I don't think there is any suggestion the teacher was just doing as he pleased.
If a parent wanted to discuss a lesson then fair enough, but if a strong complaint was made over the teaching plan and chosen subject matter then the school head should have handled it all. Then if the complaint escalates a suitable official should take it. Teachers should not have to be trouble shooters as well, imo.
Meh...teacher's troubleshoot a lot of things every day. It gets in the way of teaching, but escalating everything has it's own issues. Separate topic anyway, I'd suggest, but this was certainly not the worst of what I had to handle.
The murderer was shot dead.
He fired an airgun at police, apparently. But I'm a little confused as to what relevance that has?
You're still doing it. You're writing that I criticised the murder victim.
I would like to see your source for that.
I have criticised the French government for this whole dreadful business.
You have focused heavily on French legislation, I agree.
But my takeaway from your comments is that you think either the French Curriculum is not prescriptive/enforced enough, or it includes showing a picture of the Prophet to students. And that in either case this is the cause of the issue.
You said :
I am most saddened to know that Mr Patys showed images of Muhammud that could have upset Muslims, especially children.
You don't seem to be suggesting it's his fault, directly, but that the French government failed him. Or the Education department. However, based on my best attempt to review this, it seems like he was teaching within the framework of the national curriculum, on a suggested topic. He let the students know in advance that he was going to actually show the pictures. You can disagree with his decision...and you have. But that is, by definition, being critical of him.
He was murdered, and had his head removed. In my opinion there is no room here to be anything other than crystal clear on who is to blame for this.
To blame the French Government is akin to blaming 'Muslims' in general terms. The murderer, and potentially some accomplices, are to blame.
And I disagree with you there, because this disgusting murder could initiate actions to reduce or deter repititions but too many folks want to call 'foul' on such things .
We we arguing these situations the week before this one happened, and so now some of those (I don't mean you) who were supporting this cartoon filth are calling out against Islamic terrorism .... Maybe they would welcome an escalation?
I support freedom of speech in almost all cases. I support the right of Charlie Hedbo to publish the cartoons they did. I also find them crass, distasteful, and wouldn't waste a cent on buying the magazine.
I support the rights of the Muslim parents in this case to complain, even though I know what it feels like to have parents complain when you're doing your level best to help their kids, for their own reasons.
But I don't want my views on what a healthy society is to be watered down by political correctness or concerns about escalation.
The action taken by the 18 year old murderer were completely reprehensible. That he was not simply a lone voice, but that there were others who thought violent action was required, and that these people were part of a communal view on that is fundamentally disturbing.
I could care less if the reason for their views is religion, culture, or anything else. They are entitled to be upset, and they are entitled to be offended...they are not entitled to act with extreme, premeditated violence.
And to be clear, the two who attacked the Muslims under the Eiffel Tower disgust me too. I'm glad there were no deaths there.
There is nothing more to be said, in my opinion. We risk muddying waters that don't need to be muddied.
