French-language school in Rabat faces backlash over children’s book depicting two fathers
A French book for young children has angered parents at a school in Rabat. The book’s illustrations show different kinds of families, including a child with two fathers. Moroccan authorities have asked the school to explain itself, and it now faces the threat of legal action.
“The child has two dads.” This sentence, accompanied by illustrations, was enough to spark controversy at a private school in Rabat. It appears in a French children’s book whose content several parents are now challenging. The book depicts different family structures, including same-sex couples. These pages have angered families and prompted Moroccan authorities to demand answers from the school.
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The book is titled « Le Jeu de cette famille ». Written by Annie Agopian, illustrated by Claire Franek and published in 2009 by Éditions du Rouergue, it is aimed at young children. Its story begins in a fairly conventional way: a little boy lives with his father, mother and their dog. Then his parents separate. Each starts a new life, new children appear, and the family becomes increasingly complicated in his eyes.
To tell the story of these upheavals, the authors draw inspiration from the card game of Happy Families. But the book is not limited to separations and blended families. Some pages depict a child with two fathers, another who is adopted, an orphan, and a child born through in vitro fertilization. The presence of these different representations, particularly that of two male parents, prompted the protests reported on October 14 by Alyaoum24.
The dissatisfied parents question whether this content is appropriate for the children’s age, as well as its place in the education provided in Morocco. They are calling for greater transparency about the books used in class and the school’s responsibilities.
A teacher reportedly brought in the book on their own initiative
A source close to the case, quoted on October 15 by Morocco World News, says the book is not part of the school’s official curriculum. A teacher reportedly brought it in as a “personal initiative.” The outlet, however, describes the school as belonging to the French mission.
Alyaoum24 disputes this description. In a second investigation published on October 14, the newspaper says it established that the school falls under Moroccan law and is not part of the French mission. The school has not answered questions sent to it seeking clarification of its position.
The case has now taken on an official dimension. According to Alyaoum24, Moroccan authorities have asked the school’s management for an explanation. Some parents are also considering taking legal action. They are challenging the school’s responsibility and are calling on the Ministry of National Education to exercise tighter oversight of the educational materials provided to pupils at private schools.
The issue had already sparked controversy at the Belgian school in Rabat in February 2024, after a novel addressing homosexuality was included in the curriculum for 12-year-old pupils. The regional academy then sent educational inspectors to seek explanations from the school.