And more than 2 million children attended

That appear to be far and above all anachronistic heated debates preceding the adoption of the Debré law is just fifty years, or the monster demonstrations for the "defence of the free school" in 1984. Half a century after the establishment of private contract education and a quarter of a century after the failed attempt of the Government Mauroy to disappear, the hatchet of war is well and truly buried. No one claimed the constitution of a "great public service unified and secular education", one of the 110 proposals of the presidential candidate François Mitterrand in 1981 and the idea at the base of the Bill 1984 Savary. Competing or complementary, public and private lessons coexist today - of today without too many clashes.

"There are still here about some tensions, but more than actual conflict, finds sociologist Agnes Van Zanten (1).". The two systems live next to the other, in is ignoring each other. This is not without any problem, including in the conduct of the public education policy.

In any case, the population seems to be accommodating. According to a recent survey of CSA to Apel and "The cross", 84 of the French think that "the possibility to choose between private and public education" is a "good thing". Not less than 79 of the supporters of left share this view, sign, if needed, that the school dispute belongs now to the past. More than half of respondents (55) say they would like to enrol their children in private.

A student in five

In the last school year, Catholic schools, which represent alone more than 97 of the establishments under contracts, were 206 people, including teachers 137.000. And more than 2 million children attended. Is basically a student in five. During their schooling, two children out of five were a passage in the private sector.

Since the 1980s, the success of "free" education is strong, many institutions to refuse entries without sufficient places. More than two thirds of the French (67), according to the CSA poll, think also that the State should "allow private education to open new institutions or new classes". In the eyes of parents, "the private sector is the most likely to support the specific needs of children, either in discipline, mentoring, academic upgrading or transmission of values, explains Agnès Van Zanten." According to them, it performs missions that the public does more. "It is a remedy in case of problems, in particular during the years of the College." The private sector also benefits in the weakening of ideological and religious cleavage. Children "zappent" more easily only once from one system to another. And it is used in large cities to "escape from a social mix unwanted", says Agnès Van Zanten.

This craze for private course raises of resentment in public. "The Debré Act regulated the school dispute, without removing it, said Gerard Aschieri, Secretary General of the FSU, the first Union of the public, in an interview to AFP." "She organized the school competition, rather for the benefit of the private sector, which receives public funding without the constraints of public institutions, including in terms of all the students home," he said.

On the private sector, pointing the lack of local financing for the development of institutions (see below). But neither one nor the other are now considering really questioning the balance found here fifty years by the Debré law.