Politicians and the media have made Samuel Paty the paragon of the defense of freedom of expression. We replay this moment of republican kitsch once a year by reminding students that freedom of expression is important, and the case is folded, next year. But it seems to me that the essential was not sufficiently questioned, or that he was not given enough visibility; It is to forget that it is a teacher, and not a supporter, who was murdered. An official and not an activist.
Of course, the question of freedom of expression is not unrelated to this assassination, since the course was precisely on this theme. However, defending freedom of expression and taking lessons on freedom of expression is not the same. I believe that not to distinguish the two levels is playing the game of terrorists, who saw in him a supporter and not a teacher.
It is on this gesture, take lessons, that I would simply like to insist. I hope to pay tribute more to my colleague. Because this assassination testifies to a mistake, if not an obstinate refusal to understand what school is; The way in which he is treated mediatically – and the way in which the teachers are asked to approach him – seems to me to testify to an equal mistake, which is none other than the counterpart of the first.
but Where is Samuel Paty in there?
Samuel Paty died because he was doing his work, that is to say not so much defending freedom of expression that studying it, be tackling it in a exceeded manner. An effective course will make students feel the need to defend it, of course. But it is out of the question to take sides there personally, and especially to make remarks that do not make reason for their causes.