The mayors of Ortzaize, Arrosa, Aiherra, Larraine and Idauze-Mendi yesterday, 31 August, offered a press conference to give a clear message: "We have not yet had an official response to the call to offer a model of immersion, but let them be clear that we are motivated and determined to win this battle," he added. On the eve of the press conference, the rectorate of the Bordeaux Academy opened the press release informing the media of the acceptance of the model of immersion in the schools of Ortzaize-Arrosa, Aiherra and Idauze-Mendi. Despite this, she has not accepted the demand that the people claim: the mother was extended for the three years of school and has only accepted the model of immersion for the first year.

In addition, the ediles denounce that they have no official response. Thus, the course that starts on Thursday begins in the linguistic immersion model of the Basque students. The official meeting will be held on 6 September to determine the distribution of teachers’ jobs and then they will have to give the answer.

Model of immersion in the struggle until the four schools get it

However, Larraine’s request has not been answered with optimism. The mayor of Larraine, Jean-Dominique Iriart, was outraged but with the determination to offer a model of immersion in Basque: "France had no problem channeling the dive in French! Their attitude towards local languages is surprising. At last, France will also have to make good the historical situation." As for what can be read in the Rectorado's letter, the case of Larraine has "special questions" and therefore it is not possible to process the permission. Being a small school, the people have a single class that unites all levels, so the presence of French in classes that are not taught according to the Ministry of Education would not be assured.

Decision of the Constitutional Council

The new course starts on Thursday. We recall that on 21 May the Constitutional Council of France annulled two articles of the Molac Law, including the possibility of introducing the model of immersion in the local language, which concludes that it goes against the Constitution. The French Government has already announced that this year’s school will be able to start as before. The public schools in Larraine, Idauze-Mendi and Ortzaize-Arrosa and the private school in Aiherra requested the development of the immersion model last year, mobilising on several occasions for this.