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The Minister of National Education, Elisabeth Borne, returns to her initial decision and follows the British example.
That's it! The click finally took place in France. While we learned last April the decision of the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to disseminate the mini-adolescence mini-series in schools in the country, France has finally decided to do the same.
Indeed, interviewed on LCI, the Minister of French Education, Elisabeth Borne, announced that the adolescence series could also be used as an educational support in the French classes. As a reminder, the Minister was first opposed to this idea after the initiative of Great Britain.
Is it necessary to recall it but this series, broadcast on Netflix, is a real social phenomenon? It shows the ravages of male content on young people and aims to raise awareness among young people – but also adults – about the dangers of overconsumption of social networks via the history of Jamie (Owen Cooper), 13, who killed a classmate after having undergone harassment on her part.
However, French students will not see the series in its entirety. The Minister explained that establishments will “offer five educational sequences to young people from this series”. These are students from the fourth class.
Adolescence: an educational tool
This initiative is part of a context where the series has already caused a sensation in the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer has decided to broadcast it for free in secondary schools. The objective is to help adolescents better understand the issues related to violence, misogyny and interactions on social networks, a subject of increasing concern for parents and educators.
But also to make them aware of the problem of “overexposure to screens and the trivialization of violence on these social networks“Explains Elisabeth Borne.
A petition had been launched in France at the end of April to support this project. Did this weigh in the minister's decision?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7CTO4WJE_A
A social impact
Adolescence addresses delicate subjects, such as the epidemic of knife murders perpetrated by young boys in Great Britain. She aroused a real debate on the protection of children in the face of online toxic content. Keir Starmer welcomed representatives of charitable organizations to discuss these issues, stressing the importance of adapted education to fight radicalization and violence.
The impact of the series goes beyond the screen; It aims to encourage discussions between students and teachers-without forgetting the parents as explained by psychologist Sandra Ouaknine in the video above-thus allowing to approach major societal issues. The creators of the series, Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, hope that this broadcast in schools will encourage young people to exchange and reflect on these crucial questions. And us too.
This is a fantastic and incredibly timely discussion about the French National Education system embracing the Netflix series “Adolescence.” It’s truly a new step forward, as you say, for educators to utilize such a powerful and relevant piece of media to address critical issues facing young people today.
The series clearly resonates deeply, particularly with its unflinching look at topics like online misogyny, the influence of social media, and the complexities of adolescent mental health. Traditional teaching methods often struggle to tackle these nuanced subjects effectively, and a drama like “Adolescence” can provide a relatable and impactful entry point for discussion.
It’s encouraging to see France taking such a proactive approach, following the UK’s lead, in leveraging popular culture for educational purposes. This method has the potential to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real-world experiences of teenagers.
I’m curious to see how these educational sequences are developed and implemented, and what the long-term impact will be on students’ understanding and behavior. Do you think other countries will follow suit, and what other series might be considered for similar educational initiatives?
Thanks for highlighting this important development!