Alsace School Fined €1500 in Director’s Dispute | Reinstatement Sought

Paris – Pierre de Panafieu is set to regain his position as director of the École alsacienne as early as Monday, following a court decision annulling his February dismissal. The ruling, made by a judge at the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, deemed the termination “null and void” and mandates his immediate reinstatement, according to a message from de Panafieu consulted by Le Parisien on Wednesday.

The dismissal of de Panafieu, which occurred amidst disagreements regarding his succession, had sparked concern among parents and teachers. The court has also ordered the École alsacienne to pay a fine of 1,500 euros.

“Le juge des référés du Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris a jugé aujourd’hui que mon licenciement le 5 février dernier par le bureau du Conseil d’administration était nul et a ordonné ma réintégration immédiate dans mes fonctions de directeur,”

Pierre de Panafieu

De Panafieu is expected to remain in his role until his retirement at the end of the 2026-2027 school year. During his absence, Jacques Donadieu, the former director of the Grand Collège de l’École alsacienne, had been serving as interim director-general of the establishment.

According to de Panafieu, the decision was anticipated, stating that the judge “n’a fait que constater ce que nous disions depuis de trop longs mois” (simply confirmed what we have been saying for too long). He also noted that the school was condemned to pay the court costs, amounting to 1,500 euros.

The École alsacienne, a prestigious private secular school in Paris, has been navigating a period of internal challenges leading up to this ruling. The circumstances surrounding de Panafieu’s initial dismissal were described as “houleux” (turbulent) by Le Parisien.

De Panafieu will resume his duties starting Monday and will continue in the position “jusqu’au terme de sa mission” (until the end of his mission), which is set for the conclusion of the 2026-2027 academic year.