This is a new penalty that will come into force at the start of the next school year and which risks hurting some people: 30 euros fine for all parents who are late to the Clae (Leisure centers associated with the school). And while waiting for its application, which aims to raise awareness of punctuality, it is already causing controversy.
30 euro fine for unruly parents
Toulouse City Hall plans to call some unruly parents to order from the start of the next school year by introducing a 30 euro penalty for anyone who arrives late to the Clae, i.e. after 6:30 p.m. "Any delay recorded in the evening may result in the invoicing of a fixed fee of 30 euros corresponding to the salary cost of the two facilitators who are forced to stay", can be read on a note sent to the parents of potentially affected students.
A pricing provision (or even a punishment to stay on topic) which aims to remind people of the importance of punctuality and the values of decency towards educational staff.
The new penalty that is causing MPs to react...
For his part, François Piquemal, LFI MP for constituency 4 of Haute-Garonne elected in the first round of the early legislative elections, was quick to react by writing on X (formerly Twitter): "In Toulouse, Moudenc has invented a fine of 30 euros for parents who are late in picking up their child from Clae. Or how to attack residents who have inflexible jobs and are far from their home and school of the children."
To which Marion Lalane-de Laubadère, first deputy in charge of education, replied: "No invention, other big cities do it. Application with discernment, for parents who are regularly late without reason. As always, compliance with the rules escapes you! Doesn't it bother you that the agents are forced to stay late?". The debate between elected officials has begun.
... And the Internet users!
On social networks, other Internet users have posted a few disgruntled tweets such as: "But it's mind-blowing, really! I think of single parents who work 40 km from home and who, in addition to having to deal with traffic jams, will be fined", or even more simply: "Shame"!
While for some parents, this penalty is completely acceptable and justified. "He's right, enough of irresponsible parents", "It's normal, we have to pay the activity leaders", "I don't see what's shocking about that", we can read from the supporters of Jean-Luc Moudenc, current mayor of Toulouse.
Toulouse is following the movement of other municipalities
Two clans have therefore formed around this sanction, but it should be noted that the Ville Rose is not the first municipality to hit the wallets (and fingers) of parents.
Indeed, before Moreuil, in Hauts-de-France, has introduced penalties of €5 for the first five minutes of delay, €10 for half an hour and up to €50 after an hour. Since 2023, Morlaàs, in Nouvelle Aquitaine, has decided to charge €5 for the first delay and then €15 for the following ones. Finally, La Ferté-Bernard, in the Pays de Loire region, voted for a fine of €5 per quarter of an hour of delay for "repeat offender" parents only.
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