In western Paris, a subtle shift is taking place behind the school gates. Private schools operating outside of state contracts report an increase in enrollment applications, and many parents are using the same term to describe their decision: EVARS, for education in emotional, relational, and sexual life. The program became mandatory at the start of the last school year and has been in effect from preschool through high school since February 6, 2025, in both public and state-contracted private schools.
On paper, the EVARS program aims for prevention and understanding, with age-appropriate sessions. In practice, however, the subject is anything but abstract. Families, often Catholic according to testimonies gathered, speak of a school that "comes into the home" and an educational framework they want to regain control of, convinced that some content is too early or poorly presented. Implementation remains uneven across schools, fueling local tensions: one session here, a postponement there, and elsewhere, communication deemed too vague.
When school touches on personal matters, enrollment changes
In Le Pecq, in the Yvelines department, the head of the independent Catholic school Saint-Dominique cites an example that spread among parents like wildfire: a 7-year-old girl was withdrawn after a lesson on anatomy. This type of incident, whether isolated or not, weighs heavily on family decisions because it touches on what many consider the most sensitive boundary between instruction and education. In independent private schools, the mandatory EVARS program only begins in middle school, a regulatory detail that, for some, becomes a decisive factor.
These schools, with their diverse educational programs, present themselves as a preferred alternative, characterized by their stated values, smaller class sizes, and more direct interaction with the teaching staff. The debate, however, extends far beyond the affluent neighborhoods of western France: sex education in schools regularly resurfaces in the news, caught between public health objectives and the objections of some families. An Ifop poll published on May 5th indicates that 64% of French people believe that diversifying educational offerings would help reduce academic failure, a sign that a demand for greater diversity is gaining ground.
One very concrete observation remains: when national guidelines clash with disparate practices, trust erodes and decisions are made at the classroom level, sometimes even within a single lesson. This issue will not disappear, as it touches on the protection of children, the role of parents, and the mission of the school. In the coming months, many will be less focused on broad principles and more on how each school explains, structures, and takes responsibility for what it teaches.
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