DEALING WITH MERITOCRACY IN DEMOCRACY
473
school because, in the French school, religious neutrality is the rule. But
what about other interpretations, such as the secular neutrality of French
schools? Some intellectuals say these girls should be kept at school because
only progressive assimilation within schools can liberate them from politi–
cal and family pressures. In another more radical new interpretation of the
Republican model, such cases were brought to court for the first time. I
know in America you let the courts decide educational matters. In France
this is new and shows that the system has changed. The courts gave a very
liberal interpretation. They argued that
"if
these girls are not creating any
problems in school they should be left in school and not be disturbed."
This created yet more debates that have not been resolved, which would
indicate that the system perhaps is not working as well as believed.
Another perhaps much more worrying concern is the fact that there
has been an increase in school segregation, due to urban segregation.
Because the system has become more liberal, and because some market
principles have been introduced into the state system, parents partly can
choose schools and schools have more autonomy about what to do in their
areas. There has also been an increase in school violence. This is a recent
phenomenon, although not on the same level of violence as in American
schools. But it's a growing phenomenon. Moreover, pupils are denouncing
the existence of discrimination and racism in schools. In that sense, the
model is not working very well either.
To conclude, I think that it's very difficult to characterize the French
position. Some say we have to restore the Republican model as it was before,
others say we have to revise it to take into account changes in the social,
political, and educational spheres. I don't want to present the French model
as the model for you, but to argue that each model has its strengths and its
limits and deserves to be studied as such. But the French model all along has
been very high in social and national integration.
It
has not solved the prob–
lem of the dilemma of excellence and equality in education. However,
because it's high in social integration, it so far has prevented the development
of real social exclusion, except in marginal cases. It's problematic, also, in the
way it treats difference and diversity. But that is another debate.
Peter Wood:
Thank you.
David Pryce-Jones:
In the days of its ruling presence over much of the
globe, Britain remained something of a racial stronghold. Those who came
to Bri tain from the empire tended to be returning to the home country;
a few were princes and maharajahs enjoying privileges; and some thousands
filled certainjobs,for instance as seamen and workers in ports. The mosque
in Woking, not far from London, is the only one in Bri tain which has
