Poli_Technic_Art\MediaLab ...

http://www.politechnicart.net/exception/
The scientific and educational committee has been informed in the last few days of the nature of the agreements reached, with no consultation with any other interested parties, between the Ministry of Education and rights-holders in the fields of music, video/television, the press, the visual arts and the written word. These agreements sector by sector are meant to replace existing legislation and are in contradiction with the exceptions provided for in the relevant European directive (EUCD). They are designed to control our use of texts, music, images and films in our classrooms, our lecture halls, our libraries our conferences and our publications. For months now, the Conference of French University Presidents have been demanding that the principle of pedagogical exception be introduced into the law now under discussion in parliament concerning Royalties and Similar Rights in the Information Society (DADVSI). Considering the shamefully regressive and repressive nature of these new agreements in matters of teaching and research, thousands of scholars and teachers, including elected members of the Conseil National des Universités (CNU), undergraduate and graduate students, and many others committed to maintaining educational policies of high standard and international renown, hereby declare a campaign of civil disobedience! Even as this communiqué is drawn up, these educators, teachers and scholars are preparing to announce to their students that they are no longer in a position to fulfil their educational mission in any serious way. We all realise that a campaign of civil disobedience is a very serious matter. It is rare option in our country and may well have no precedent : educators have committed themselves publicly to disobey their minister and the law, and they will continue, no matter what the cost and in spite of any threats or sanctions, to show films, play records, distribute texts... in any way they deem useful and relevant. There are today colleagues who have been sued by rights-holders. We demand the immediate suspension of all such actions. We ask our MPs, sole legitimate representatives of the national interest within the framework of the harmonisation European policies on education and research, to exert to the full their authority so that France may endow itself with a reasonable Pedagogical Exception. We call all our colleagues around the world to send a message at french deputies for support a Pedagogical Exception in France : cpaul@assemblee-nationale.fr fdutoit@assemblee-nationale.fr f.bayrou@udf.org dmathus@assemblee-nationale.fr mbillard@assemblee-nationale.fr cboutin@assemblee-nationale.fr bcarayon@assemblee-nationale.fr pbloche@assemblee-nationale.fr jpbrard@assemblee-nationale.fr hemmanuelli@assemblee-nationale.fr lwauquiez@assemblee-nationale.fr cvanneste@assemblee-nationale.fr baccoyer@assemblee-nationale.fr jdionis@assemblee-nationale.fr asuguenot@assemblee-nationale.fr Moreover, the Collective for a Pedagogical Exception supports all statements issued by the movement EUCD.INFO