| Popis: |
The land of equality and fraternity is also the country whose school system most exacerbates social inequality. This is the conclusion not only of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), but also of French sociologists. Teaching remains led by an elitist ideal. The disadvantaged classes are directed en masse toward vocational training. Elementary school, where, in the words of François Dubet, inequalities “take shape,” is neglected when it comes to funding. The myth that focusing on average or weak pupils will necessarily lower the standard of the top pupils persists. The preparatory classes for the prestigious Grandes Écoles remain the primary route of access to elite education, but are chiefly the preserve of children from well-off, educated families. Many social mobility studies conducted since the 1950s show that, as Yves Besançon concludes, “progress has stalled over the last two decades. |
