Creation and Diffusion of A-Level Drama Studies (Baccalauréat Option Drama): A School Offer Promoted by Everyday People, the Teachers

The article focuses on one of the lesser-known aspects of the reform of A-Level courses, which took place during the second period of the “explosion in education.” It highlights the determining role of the teachers in the implementation of educational policies and, more particularly, the range of options offered. Based on the example of the A-level drama studies (baccalauréat option drama), and supported by an ethnographical survey carried on in the Pays de la Loire region, in the west of France), the text shows that this new offer of options in school is not only promoted from the top, but originates also from the important mobilization of teachers involved in activist and cultural spheres. The paper emphasizes the extent to which the success of a public action relies on the use of and ownership by field actors, as they have practical experience.