The Ministry of National Education has established, for November 11, a new compulsory ceremony in all schools from CM1, in tribute to all those who "died for France". Some unions oppose it and call for a boycott, denouncing a “glorification of war”.

Published on: 06/11/2026 - 17:49

In a circular published last July, the Ministry of National Education established the establishment of an annual commemorative ceremony in tribute to all those who “died for France”. Established in each elementary, middle and high school, public or private under contract from CM1, this ceremony must be held, at the choice of the establishment, in the four days preceding or following November 11.

According to this circular, “the school thus transmits the principles and values ​​of the Republic, prepares for the exercise of citizenship and ensures the acquisition of a common culture”. “Transmitting this heritage presupposes, in particular, recalling the moments when the nation was put to the test and where its cohesion had to be embodied. The transmission of the history and memory of these collective ordeals contributes to national cohesion, especially in an international environment marked by renewed forms of conflict,” we can also read in this document.

“Preparing minds for war”

But a few days before November 11, the organization of this ceremony is creating a stir. Several teaching unions have called on National Education staff to refuse or boycott this obligatory tribute. The CGT éduc'action thus denounces "military recruitment at school". For this union, "under the cover of 'national cohesion', the institution actually seeks to prepare people's minds for war."

Same position on the side of the National Union of Secondary Education-United Trade Union Federation (SNES-FSU), which supports teachers who wish to refuse to participate in the preparation and the ceremony. “The organization of this event poses many educational and more broadly political problems, especially in a French and international context which sees nationalism, militarism and a reactionary vision of the place of youth in society becoming more and more commonplace,” believes this union, which adds that this ceremony “blurs the lines between history and memory”.

The SNES-FSU is also concerned about “the intrusion of local authorities and the military institution”, but also about the presence “of personalities whose values ​​are not those of the school of the Republic”. The circular in fact opens up the possibility of involving representatives of the armed forces, the gendarmerie, reservists, veterans' and memorial associations, as well as local elected officials, at these times.

The National Federation of Education, Culture and Professional Training-Force Ouvrière (FNEC FP-FO) also demands the withdrawal of this directive, refusing "to share a so-called 'common destiny' with the warmongers and the cannon merchants" and demanding "means for schools, not for war".

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“Transmission through school”

In response to these calls for a boycott, the Minister of National Education, Édouard Geffray, spoke on Wednesday November 4 in the National Assembly, during questions to the government. "Some consider that this would be a militarization of the school. I regret that. To say that is to forget that November 11 commemorates the armistice of a war that our ancestors hoped would be the 'last of the last'. Honoring the end of the fighting is the exact opposite of the glorification of war," he replied in particular. “It is forgetting that between the freedom that our soldiers defended and that which we enjoy today, there is a link: transmission through school,” he added, insisting on the fact that the ceremony will take place.

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Since the publication of the circular, the holding of this ceremony has been debated in educational establishments. Far from the position of certain unions, Alexandre Bande, history and geography teacher at the Janson-de-Sailly high school, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, is satisfied to see that the ministry is encouraging "to organize a commemorative event, not only on November 11 which is a public holiday, but around the 11th and around the relatively broad questions of the memory and history of the fighters who fell dead for France".

The historian judges that the argument of a “militarization of commemoration” does not hold up. “This is a historical error because November 11 has been commemorated for more than a hundred years,” he recalls. "In the 1930s, it was about remembering that we should no longer wage war at all. Between 1940 and 1943, people risked their lives to commemorate November 11 in occupied France. Even if it is certain that times are different today, associating these commemorations with an indoctrination of minds seems astonishing to me," he continues.

He also does not understand the arguments of certain unions, who denounce the possible arrival of soldiers or politicians during this tribute. “The potential misappropriation in the context of a speech by an authority is a risk which has always existed, long before this ceremony was imposed in establishments. It is up to the heads of establishments to frame things well”, maintains Alexandre Bande.

An injunction that goes badly

The Association of History and Geography Teachers (APHG) is more measured. At the start of the school year, in September, she clarified this subject in a press release, estimating that teachers are "already in great demand". “In a time saturated with minutes of silence and tributes, a more gradual and more concerted implementation would have been preferable,” underlines the association, which brings together more than 9,000 members. The APHG believes that “these times of memory” must retain their “voluntary and spontaneous” character and that this ceremony “only takes on its meaning if it is prepared”.

At the Aristide-Briand high school in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique), Élissa André was able to note that “this injunction from the ministry which has become an obligation” has caused tension among some of her colleagues. Half of them decided to boycott the ceremony. “After the establishment of defense classes and committed classes, there is, according to them, the idea of ​​a militarization of the school,” explains this history and geography teacher.

Having carried out educational and memorial projects with these students for many years, the teacher on the other hand chose to participate: "This allows them to understand that to commemorate is to recall the memory of those who died, whether civilian or military. If we do not involve them in moments like this, it remains part of the course and we have difficulty humanizing it."

As part of this ceremony, Élissa André decided to have her students work on the drama of the apprentices of November 9, 1942. That day, an American air raid targeting the Saint-Nazaire construction sites left more than 180 dead, including 134 among the young people of an apprenticeship school located in the heart of the construction sites. "The challenge is to make them understand that war is not just a story of soldiers, but also of civilians. The students made blueberries that bear the name of one of these apprentices, and inside, they wrote them a message or a drawing. There is a thread between our students and these missing young people."

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“A rather confusing catch-all”

At the Parc high school in Lyon, Caroline Guiraut also regularly participates in November 11 commemorations with “volunteer students”. This history-geography professor, however, regrets the "obligatory nature" of this new event and also criticizes "the rather confusing catch-all" of the circular. To help teachers organize the ceremony, the national education system has produced a guide offering testimonies and literary works, but also songs and musical projects.

According to Caroline Guiraut, it is an amalgamation of works concerning conflicts having different causes, temporalities and actors. “I am a history-geography teacher and I strive to teach nuance and verified facts in a chronology. We have programs. Teaching all the conflicts in a single ceremony so that students have the keys is simply impossible,” she protests.

Professor of history and geography at the Solveig-Anspach college in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis), Sabine Pesier judges for her part that the problem lies in the organizational arrangements: "The circular was published in July and we learned about it through the press. November 11 is a date that arrives early in the year. You have to have time to prepare something that makes sense and where the students are actresses and actors."

Despite this very short time since the start of the school year, this teacher, very committed to memory work, wants to take advantage of this ceremony. For her, it is an opportunity to make students think about the notion of “deaths for France”. “Our four third grade classes are going to make presentations in groups to make a display on the occasion of the official ceremony. My students are going to work on the deaths for France,” she announces. Beyond the controversy, Sabine Pesier is optimistic: "We can say that this is the beginning of a real reflection on civic engagement and memorial engagement. This will perhaps be more significant and more developed for next year."

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