Overview

• An inspector in the Aisne region instructed schools to avoid using Advent calendars, claiming they violated France's laïcité principles by being rooted in religious tradition.
• The directive faced backlash from local officials, including Senator Pierre-Jean Verzelen and regional president Xavier Bertrand, who argued the calendars are cultural and pedagogical tools.
• Education Minister Anne Genetet clarified that the inspector's directive was an isolated action and does not reflect national policy or legal precedent.
• Genetet emphasized that Advent calendars, as largely secularized and cultural objects, are compatible with laïcité when free of explicitly religious content.
• The incident has reignited discussions about the balance between preserving cultural heritage and maintaining strict secularism in public institutions like schools.