This Tuesday noon in February, Lily and Samina give Abdurhamane a pointed look. Usually, this lanky young man is the most talkative of their group of 3e. He shrugs his shoulders and nods at Nassim and Carmine. They are the spokespersons for the cause which they defend within the Rosa-Parks college, an establishment in a priority education network (REP), nestled between the HLM towers of the Villejean district, in Rennes. Facing the reporter World came to listen to their project, Nassim dares: “In fact, we want to change the law. We would like France and the European Union to welcome migrants with dignity. » “Adults don’t do anything, so we decided to take care of it”says Carmine.
Eight middle school students explain how they decided to relaunch the Rosa-Parks alumni project. They had written, in 2022, a text to warn about the precariousness of asylum seekers. Shocked that some of their comrades were living in squats in emergency shelters, waiting for a residence permit and fearing expulsion, they launched an appeal for solidarity in their neighborhood, where around fifty people live together of nationalities. The initiative was popular in the Breton capital, a left-wing stronghold governed by socialist mayors since 1977. The college students then took advantage of the support of associations and students to transform their fed-up into a European citizens’ initiative (ICE ). This system allows individuals to launch a petition which, if it collects one million signatures in one year, in several countries of the European Union, forces the European Commission to study the project and, possibly, revise the law.
“The “founders” imagined using the ICE. The “heirs” take over with the same determination. They want to have their say on the evolution of society”enthuses Ronan Chérel, the history-geography professor who supervises the project, entitled #DignityinEurope. Hina Rabot, a trainee teacher working with middle school students, adds: “ICE shows students that, even when you study at Rosa-Parks, you can achieve great things. »
In Brussels to “change everything”
The college is at the bottom of almost all Ille-et-Vilaine academy rankings. In 2022, only 75% of students had obtained their certificate. Seventeen points less than the departmental average. For several years, many parents have withdrawn their children from Rosa-Parks to enroll them in other establishments in the city, further reducing the number and social diversity of the college. Here, seven out of ten college students are on scholarships.
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