In Béziers, Robert Ménard is extending the uniform policy to public schools

Starting in September 2026, the 4,545 students in Béziers' 21 public elementary schools will receive two free white polo shirts and two navy blue sweatshirts bearing the city's coat of arms. Following a trial run in four schools since 2024, Robert Ménard has decided to extend the uniform policy to all municipal elementary schools.

The measure will remain optional and will be offered to families who request it. More than 70% of them have reportedly already reserved their child's school supplies. For the mayor of Béziers, the objective is, in particular, to "reduce the effects of fads," to strengthen the sense of belonging, and to make school a space more focused on "knowledge and learning."

A measure costing 90,900 euros

The program represents a cost of €90,900 for the city. The uniform kit has been simplified compared to the initial trial, which also included trousers, shorts, skirts, and blazers. This time, each participating student will receive two polo shirts and two sweatshirts, manufactured by a company based in the Tarn region.

The FSU-SNUipp 34 union denounced the measure as "costly" and "outdated," preferring to highlight other difficulties encountered in the city's schools. This opposition contrasts sharply with the positive reception from many families: over 70% of them have already requested the school supply kit. Robert Ménard, for his part, defends the measure as concrete and not overly restrictive, since it remains optional, and designed to reduce visible differences between students, strengthen their sense of belonging, and restore a common framework to the school.