Pierre de Panafieu, director of École alsacienne for 24 years, was dismissed 18 months before his planned retirement due to accusations of a clannish atmosphere and disagreement over his successor. Teachers and parents rallied in his support on Thursday evening near Closerie des Lilas in Paris. The board's decision has worsened the crisis at the school.
Pierre de Panafieu, widely praised for his skills after 24 years leading École alsacienne, was dismissed by the board of administration. Some teachers and parents accuse him of fostering a clannish atmosphere that one described as «this insider dealing that was rotting everything».
The dispute centered on succession arrangements, particularly the selection of Nicolas L’Hotellier as his replacement. Though he expected to retire in summer 2027, de Panafieu was removed early.
On Thursday evening, Mathieu Cortadellas, former president of the parents' association, organized a rally near Closerie des Lilas, on the edge of the Latin Quarter and Notre-Dame-des-Champs. De Panafieu rejected the «insider» accusations from a makeshift platform, backed by teachers, parents, and influential figures including several Nobel laureates and former ministers.
This unusual public protest has not calmed tensions: the dismissal decision appears to have intensified the crisis rather than resolving it.
