French education publishers welcome court judgement on region’s digital textbooks

In a statement the French Educational Publishers Association (Les Editeurs d'Education) noted the "decision goes far beyond the scope of a purely legal dispute. It reaffirms a fundamental principle that educational publishers have always upheld: a local authority can support, finance, and equip schools, but it must not replace professional publishers whose role is to produce, structure, and guarantee the diversity of educational content in collaboration with teachers. The issue is not digital technology itself, but rather the structuring of learning. A student does not learn through a continuous stream of fragmented resources, but through a structured, progressive, and coherent learning path. Textbooks, both printed and digital, remain the backbone of education, providing a clear framework, a legible structure of knowledge, and shared reference points for students, teachers, and families."

"Educational publishers also wish to clearly address the concerns raised by the Region regarding the start of the 2026 school year: educational publishers are ready. More than 800 titles already exist in formats compatible with the digital platform used in high schools in the Île-de-France region. Teachers will be able to access the books they used before the widespread adoption of "open access" textbooks, as well as new textbooks incorporating the latest curriculum updates.

Educational publishers remain fully available to work with the Île-de-France Region, the regional education authority, and all stakeholders to ensure a smooth start to the school year for teachers and students.

This decision marks an important step in defending a coherent, pluralistic, and equitable education system."