French Education Minister challenges court ruling on Muslim school contract

French Education Minister Élisabeth Borne has announced her decision to appeal a court ruling that reinstated the association contract with the private Muslim high school Averroès.

Speaking on TF1 this Tuesday, she said that «when a state-funded institution, which is bound by specific obligations regarding educational standards and the use of public funds, refuses an inspection», it undermines trust and justifies the termination of its contract. Her comments echoed earlier statements by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who had also called for the contract to be revoked.

Last week, the administrative court in Lille ordered the reinstatement of the contract, which had been withdrawn by the prefecture, cutting off the school’s public funding since the beginning of the 2024 academic year.

However, Borne pointed to «several serious failings» on the part of the school. While the court found procedural flaws in the prefecture’s decision, it ruled in favor of the school on the grounds that the alleged violations did not constitute «serious breaches of the law».