Bringing change to France, the newly appointed government headed by the country's second-ever female Prime Minister, also named historian Pap Ndiaye as the country's Minister of Education.
Ever since the 56-years old French historian and university professor was named as Minister of Education in the new French cabinet, online debates broke into the changes he could make to the country's educational system.
Ndiaye, 56, is an exert on migration and on racial minorities in the US. He is an academic, not a politician. He was born in the Paris suburbs if a French mother and Senegalese father. Le Pen and others say he will seek to rewrite the Fr history curriculum.
— John Lichfield (@john_lichfield) May 20, 2022
Conversations over the changes Pap Ndiaye could make to the country's educational system have been going on for several days, especially as the French right expresses fears of him adding an "awoke sense" to the country with the increasingly diverse population.
French commentators who attempted to defend the decision taken by the re-elected President Emmanuel Macron said it was "a practical expression of his agenda for the second term, prioritizing France's multi-racial communities".
They also highlighted the man's background as a respected academic and expert in western history, in addition to his experience as head of France’s National Museum of the History of Immigration over the last year.
Translation: "Emmanuel Macron said that the history of France must be deconstructed. Pap Ndiaye will take care of this mission."
Given his expertise in historical studies in connection to minority rights movements both in France and the United States, Pap Ndiaye's influence has been feared to make an impact on France's new generations through educational curriculums, particularly because of his academic focus and activism against racism.
Pap Ndiaye's appointment to the Ministry of Education also ignited criticism by two of the most prominent figures in the French right-wing, including former presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour.
La nomination de Pap Ndiaye, indigéniste assumé, à l’Education nationale est la dernière pierre de la déconstruction de notre pays, de ses valeurs et de son avenir. Elisez un maximum de députés du @RNational_off pour protéger notre jeunesse des pires idéologies !#remaniement
— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) May 20, 2022
Translation: "The appointment of Pap Ndiaye, an assumed pro-minority person, to the Ministry of Education is the last stone in the deconstruction of our country, its values, and its future. Elect as many deputies as possible to protect our youth from the worst ideologies!"
The two French politicians known for their anti-immigration and minority views described Macron's decision as extremely harmful to the French values and culture.
Marine Le Pen tweeted her full disagreement with the choice, saying it was "the last stone in the deconstruction of our country, its values, and its future", hinting that the decision might harm the French youth and urging the French public to vote against what she called "the worst of ideologies".
France: Presidential Candidate Accused of Sexual Misconduct Endorsed by Le-Pen’s Controversial NieceComme tant d'idéologues de gauche, Pap Ndiaye a fait sa carrière sur la lutte contre les discriminations mais a placé ses enfants dans une école d'élite de l'enseignement privé. Ce qui va lui permettre de détruire l'Éducation Nationale sans mettre sa progéniture en danger.
— Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) May 30, 2022
Translation: "Like so many left-wing ideologists, Pap Ndiaye has based his career on the fight against discrimination but placed his children in an elite private school. This will allow him to destroy the French education without putting his offspring in danger."
Moreover, far right-wing figure Eric Zemmour regarded the decision as a 'deliberate move by Macron to destroy the history of France', as he accused the new Minister of Education of 'hypocrisy', placing his kids in "elite private school" while he calls for equality.
