Obstacles to the Establishment of a Co-Education Relationship between Parents and Teachers

Abstract

Co-educational systems contributing to reinforced cooperation between parents and school professionals imply a full agreement between the protagonists, acknowledging equality and mutual consideration of the skills of each partner. This article aims to shed light on the difficulties encountered during the stage of establishment of a co-educational relationship in France. The program under consideration gathers parents of popular background and professional actors of a middle school under the mediation of a community worker. Our analysis discusses the gaps and discrepancies between the will to collaborate and the capacity to overcome one’s prejudice concerning a partner, between one’s benevolent attention and the actual consideration paid to his/her value, between personal disclosure and dedication to one’s role as co-educator.