“There will be no college in Grabels”: faced with parents’ discontent against the school map, Renaud Calvat defends the Garrigues college

Le Collège des Garrigues dans les Hauts de Massane victime de son implantation au “cœur d'un quartier sensible”, selon les parents d'élèves. – DR

Parents of students from the commune of Grabels and Haut de Massane are mobilizing around a project for a middle school in Grabels. The Grabellois and certain families from Hauts de Massane are fleeing the reference establishment on the school map, Les Garrigues college. The reasons for this avoidance are the lack of social diversity, insecurity as well as its results. Yet far from being bad.

Colleges have diverse social compositions. Is this a factor that makes it possible to reinforce educational inequalities ? The answer is a "yes' mixed for these parents of students enrolled at the Garrigues des Hauts de Massane college,  meeting in the evening in a neighborhood committee room &amp ;quot;to exchange whether you are from Massane or Grabels", explains one of them, Céline Bancarel. Because these two sectors share the same school map.

The myth of diversity

It's a fact, diversity in no way reduces inequalities in academic success. National evaluations show that this does not change the level of learning. The environment certainly allows students to succeed better, but it all depends on the climate there. And it’s a feeling of insecurity that has clearly taken root here.

College and neighborhood would they suffer from a dirty-mouthed offense ? Everyone agrees "that the neighborhood is not bad, with green spaces like nowhere else" and that diversity perhaps offers better social cohesion, "but at what price!". The table is not great: "One of the major difficulties remains the location, in the middle of a sensitive neighborhood known for the nearby drug spots".

A flight of young minds towards the private sector and outside the school system

The higher the social position index (IPS), the more it is estimated that the student develops in a family context favorable to his success (read below).

With an IPS of 73% associated with the college, considered low, the observation of the flight of Grabellois students towards the public, "by cheating on their place of residence", and the private sector for the wealthiest, is not to reassure parents, for whom the construction of a new establishment in Grabels would be a panacea, supported to a school card, "otherwise, still no diversity! The number of Grabellois children is sufficient to open a college and the population has a demographic growth constantly of 2.6% on average per year. And it is rejuvenating which calls for the creation of new neighborhoods like Gimels and its 800 housing units by 2027, recalls Solenne Rougier, parent of a student.

Which is not in the opinion of Renaud Calvat, deputy vice-president for education and colleges at the Department, and sectorization (read below ).

"Mayor René Revol offers land to Grabels", resolves Solenne. But 400 meters as the crow flies from Massane, not only "it's illogical" for Renaud Calvat,  "but for a assignment zone, you need at least 10,000 inhabitants". Far from the current 8000, "no new construction is planned".

No construction in the next 15 years

Demographic development would not justify the construction of a college in greater Montpellier in the next 15 years! 

Les Garrigues only has 580 registered for 700 places and only 550 students are planned for next year. "Normal, it's a REP+", simplifies the vice-president.& nbsp;"No, in fact, only 20% of students in the commune of Grabels are enrolled in the sector college, the other 80% deviate!", corrects Céline Bancarel .

Racists ? We ?

For parents, the accounts are not there, it's all a matter of proportions: "We are accused of being racist, but it's false! , raises Solenne Rougier. We walk on eggshells, we crush a few in the process.

"We want the best for our children. But what does that imply ? The team is fantastic in Les Garrigues, and the neighborhood is not sensitive, breathes Renaud Calvat.

The results of schooling are far from bad

Les Garrigues college welcomes 604 students including 138 third grade students.
At the end of the third year, according to the results obtained in the DNB (Diplô National du Brevet), 79% of the college students acquired the level of competence skills and knowledge required, as for the success rate over 3 years, it is 81.2%. The average &agrav; The DNB's writing was located at the end of the year. 9.7 (13.1 for Cémence Royer, 9.9 for Cémenceau…).
The student even ranks it in 6th position among the best public colleges in the City, behind Joffre! It is considered that the level of skills is higher than that of others. the required average, taking into account expectations. The higher the social position index (IPS), the more it is estimated that the student is growing up in a favorable family context. ;agrave; his academic success. With an IPS of 73% (110% for the Joffre college and 142 for the private De la Salle college), it welcomes an audience from lower social categories. laughing &agrav; the national average.
At the end of the third year, 78% of the 138 middle school students had acquired an honors grade. the end of their course. These results rank Coll&ege les Garrigues, in 2024, 3,512th college nationally out of 7,209 in France. And gives it a very honorable 14th place out of the 23 colleges in Montpellier. Far, certainly, from the results of the legendary Joffre college, placed in &agrav; 182nd place nationally, and 88% of 3rd grade students graduated from the DNB. The Garrigues college won 1,748 places compared to à 2022 in the ranking of the best colleges in Montpellier, percentage of mentions increasing in the patent over one year, including.

"In Saint-Gély-du-Fesc, the Brevet pass rate is 98%". A remark which pricks the ears of the vice-president for whom this rate must be placed in context. "It’is not related to the college level, it’s awful for teachers to think that".

And Solenne insisted, "the patent is noted differently". It would be "of less good quality, the students arrive in second without having the level". Renovation work on the playground, the sports area and the classrooms are or will be underway, thanks to the 13 million euro budget. voted on in the fall. The parents seek dialogue, "to find the solution together and have the support of the Grabellois. We were never consulted.

Can financial investment overcome worries and "feeling of insecurity". Nothing is less certain in the north of Montpellier.
A public meeting is being held on March 21 at the Maison Commune of Grabels so that "the parents of students can be listened to and heard".

Renaud Calvat, vice-president of the Department: “I will receive the delegations”

Will you go to à the public meeting &at; Grabels ?

I will not go there but I will receive delegations of parents, if that is desired.

Can a college see the light of day? term &agrav; Grabels, with an associated school card ?

This reminds me of Las Cazes, who later became Simone Veil. À At the time when you typed the name on the internet, there were only negative items. By changing name and project, today we are talking about bilingual classes, sport studies, etc. Only 280 students were enrolled, while the capacity was higher. was 650. We preferred to deviate from this. the school card, or go to the private sector. Today we are at 680 students, thanks to the international section and &agrav; the rugby section. Diversity was done. And then it’s illogical to build a new college at the gates of Hauts de Massane. For an assignment zone, you need at least 10,000 inhabitants, which is not the case in Grabels.

The conditions are therefore not met ?

There are three levers. The first is to expand, but in Les Garrigues, there are fewer students than the capacity. maximum. The second is the modification of the school map in the event of saturation. The third is construction, as with construction. Port Marianne and Juvignac. None of these situations correspond to this. this college. Investments will be made. And options could emerge, so as to improve the situation. make college more attractive.

I subscribe to read more