Friday 19 September 2008

Blast

I am not going to wade into the French education system of which I have limited experience. So I am relying on those who know more than I do, like the erudite and unfailingly reasonable Cimon, who comments here, to tell me if the following is what I can expect over the next 20 years.

We have organised our entire month around the first parent's morning at La Fille's school. It was supposed to be tomorrow. It went on the calendar in big black capital letters encircled by a big black jaggedy line. Everything else fell into a subsequent place: a trip to the UK; a weekend in Belgium; a visit to a much-loved friend with a long-term illness. We were told not to bring La Fille so we had to arrange child care.

This morning, not first thing this morning but shortly before midday, less than 24 hours before the planned meeting, I was handed a slip of paper saying it was postponed until next Saturday. There was no explanation for the last minute change. We don't have busy social lives however there is something on the calendar for next Saturday. As it doesn't boast a jaggedy line it will have to be cancelled. But wouldn't you know it the babysitter cannot babysit next Saturday morning. I am trying not to swear.

6 comments:

Cimon said...

I don't think this is usual (and hope it won't happen to me as my parents/school meeting is next week).

:-(

Maybe they are striking against the minister's declarations that maternelle is only a matter of dipper changing and putting the children to bed...

Parisgirl said...

Thanks Cimon. Hope your parents' meeting goes ahead. Great M. Darcos: that will raise morale among the people looking after our children. Do you think it's perhaps because most of them are women?

Cimon said...

Actually I am really surprised they called off the meeting because they usually warn well in advance - and we also received the "don't bring your children" flyer.

I was also surprised to see that in my son's class there are 9 teachers, all of them women, and 1 head, a man.

I think Mr Darcos does such declarations in order to content some voters who are really anti-civil servants and even more anti-teachers (those lazzy persons with 18 weeks of paid vacations who go on strike for any reason have to be punished).

I don't think he believes a word he said...

Anyway, I'll tell tou next saturday...

Does La Fille like the cantine ?

Waffle said...

Ahem. You are coming to Belgique? I hope you will come and visit.. I have really really bad cake and small tortoises! What's not to love, really.

Parisgirl said...

Cimon, I have only seen one male member of staff at La Fille's school. Spotted him for the first time yesterday...he's the stand in concierge! She doesn't go to the cantine as she only goes mornings for now. This was the directrice's suggestion. However there is clearly some innate fear of the place because the other day, without having ever set foot in the cantine, she said: "I really don't want to eat in the cantine" !
Jaywalker, I love grubby cake and polished tortoises. I never knew the collective noun was a "creep of tortoises". Tee hee.

Waffle said...

Ooh. That's new to me too. I LOVE.

Ps Fille is right to fear the cantine. When I worked in a Collège, 'tongue day' nearly finished me off completely.