Drug problem worsening in France

[Blaze]

.... new entrants who (quite rightly) wanted a life of their own

This isn't just happening in the teaching profession, it's happening in the medical profession too : There are billboards advertising for GPs all over northern Brittany (doubtless in other parts as well), particularly on the coast in spite of incentives being offered such as a year's free rent. But new doctors want a life, a 9 to 5 job, not 24/24 like the old style GPs. On top of that, the increasingly ageing population on the coast doesn't have quite the appeal of a bustling town or large hospital.

As Quiksilver says, perhaps vocation is a dirty word today and people see their chosen career as just a job to earn money to live on. Fortunately there are still many people out there who are dedicated and want to bring something good to this chaotic world we seem to be living in.

[Quiksilver]

The medical staffing crisis is reaching dangerous proportions round here. Apart from cancer diagnosis and treatment, which is still prioritised, even the Préfecture town and other major towns have a severe shortage of health professionals right across the spectrum.

[niemeyjt]

Maybe the issue isn't the training - but the retention after training? My neurologist is French (from Rennes). About a third of the nurses are also. Were they still in the French system I am sure it would be better.

Ditto UK doctors moving to Australia etc - it isn't just a French problem.

[Quiksilver]

The same root cause, though...cherchez le fric!

[Biloute]

I often hear that the role of school is to teach to children (arithmetic, reading, writing, etc.), but that their education (politeness, honesty, courage, etc.) must be done by the parents. This may have been true 60 years ago. But what about today if the parents were already thugs themselves in their youth and have remained so for many of them? For example, how can parents who live on welfare without working convince their children to study hard to have a rewarding job? Why would parents prevent their 12-year-old from going out at night when he will bring in €150 every day to keep watch at drug dealing points or deliver cocaine?
But it is not up to school to teach children good social behavior. This would require closed centres where children would be removed from bad family influence and where educators would enforce iron discipline. This existed in France until 1960: they were called ″maisons de correction″ (equivalent to Borstal in the UK?). After 1960, they became ″closed educational centres″, not really closed in fact, and therefore much less effective… And, in the name of human rights, discipline was replaced by leisure activities…

[Blaze]

@Biloute The problem with children whose parents are "in trouble with the law" and who are neglected has always existed but yes, it's even more difficult today particularly in cities with children being used and paid by dealers. That said, I have seen the children of such parents manage to break out and go on to lead successful lives. But it's comparatively rare.

The prison system in the UK, particularly for young offenders, has gone through several changes and the term Borstal was abandoned. I may be a bit out of date, but I remember Young Offenders Institutes, and courts could send children to approved schools where discipline could be pretty severe. Caning was allowed - as it was in state and private schools until eventually, thank goodness, it was banned. The term "approved school" was eventually dropped and they became "community homes" - I have no idea if they still exist.

The difficulty is teaching children what is right and what is wrong and families and communities will have different moral standards. This has become more evident in the UK with a few immigrant families who hold to so-called religious laws and "family honour".

[Hotrodder]

As with "common sense", discipline and respect are out of fashion. The only way it can return is in an "App" for the phone zombies.

[MAD87]

@Biloute
The difficulty is teaching children what is right and what is wrong and families and communities will have different moral standards. This has become more evident in the UK with a few immigrant families who hold to so-called religious laws and "family honour".

Zackly! It isn't up to schools (imo) to teach that difference, but to reinforce it. Unfortunately, as has been mentioned, the parents sometimes resign from their duties, or are unable to get the message through. That isn't down to race or creed, but to a variety of circumstances. I often think of Rachida Dati (not one of my favourite politicians), the daughter of immigrants, one of 11 children who went through university and became Justice minister - against all the odds - while one of her brothers is/was a minor criminal.
We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that children themselves play a major part in their own destiny.

[Pathca]

Vocation is a difficult thing in this day and age
I think a lot of people do essentially feel a sense of vocation but whether thay can afford to follow that is another matter. In the UK doctors pay has fallen in real terms by some 30+ % over the last several years. If you want a family,decent property and a nice life style you can get that with a lot less effort and not take 15 years to get there. Same with policing the pay is not bad but it’s not wonderful and there’s much easier ways to earn a lot more

[Hotrodder]

And to the young ones, drug dealing rates high on the income level.