French teacher, Dominique Bernard, 57, was stabbed to death on Friday October 13 in a school in Arras, in the north of France, and two other people were seriously injured. The attacker, Mohammed M, is a former student registered for radicalism and who was the subject of recent monitoring by the DGSI. The Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, visited the site this Saturday.
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“ October 13, 2023 is one of those dates that will forever be etched in our collective memory » The shock after the tragedy that occurred on Friday October 13 in a high school in Arras, in Pas-de-Calais, after the attack that occurred three days before the commemoration of the assassination of Samuel Paty. The day after the knife attack which cost the life of a teacher and in which two other people were seriously injured, the Minister of National Education Gabriel Attal brought together the rectors of academies and parliamentarians.
Friday, he received representatives of the main teaching unions. The opportunity for them to express to the minister their distress, their fear, but also to ask for measures to be able, next Monday, October 16, to resume classes in adequate conditions. With a serious face, Gabriel Attal hastened to deliver his message to teachers: “ To all these national education staff, these teachers, these administrative agents, these management staff, who today said to themselves: “It could have been me“… This October 13, 2023 is therefore a day of mourning for all of us, the French. »
Read alsoKnife attack in Arras: “There is a latent climate of violence in France”
“ We need everyone’s support »
Establishment of a listening device for national education personnel, deployment of a thousand mobile security team personnel in establishments, promise of a moment of union and national contemplation. .
If the unions are satisfied with these measures, they wanted to obtain confirmation for another of their requests: the guarantee for teachers to have, Monday morning, a time when they can meet with each other, before welcoming the students. “ There would be nothing worse than arriving at 8:30 a.m. and being alone with questions from students, estimated Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of the National Union of Secondary Education (SNES-FSU). So that’s why to get back on track, we need to hear this request for collective working time on Monday morning. And if the minister did not hear it, there would certainly be a lot, a lot of anger and bitterness on the part of the profession. »
A time for discussion confirmed this Saturday by the Minister of Education in a message sent to the educational community, and a minute of silence will be observed. Classes are canceled Monday in middle and high schools until 10 a.m., and a time for discussion will take place between students and teachers. during the mid-day break “.
The principal of the Gambetta school complex, where the tragedy took place, has decided to reopen the establishment on Saturday for students and teachers who wish.
Students and teachers needed to return to high school this Saturday
Other establishments are open across France this Saturday.
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The emotion is as strong among the teaching staff as among the parents’ associations. “ We are very shocked. As parents of students, we are very shocked, reacted Cécile Prouvost, vice-president of the Federation of Parent Teacher Councils (FCPE) of Pas-de-Calais. It’s a tragedy for the school, for the children, for everyone. We are speechless and truly taken aback. The emergency right now is psychological follow-up, because it’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be difficult because we have to be able to get out of this fear, this horror. We need everyone’s support to restore confidence. For teachers, for students, for staff and for parents too, may they also send their children with confidence. The students are shocked and they are also shocked because there are a lot of videos circulating on social networks… We must also either protect them from that or allow them to express their fear. »
France woke up on Saturday October 14 in a state of attack alert. The alleged perpetrator of the attack is a young man listed for radicalization. Up to 7,000 soldiers from the Sentinel force (anti-terrorist fight) will be deployed in the territory “ by Monday evening and until further notice », announced the Élysée on Saturday.
In this case, ten people have now been placed in police custody, including several members of the attacker’s family: his sister, his mother, his uncle and two of his brothers, one of whom was taken from the cell where he is detained for “conspiracy of terrorist criminals”. Furthermore, two Belarusians “ with whom the attacker was when he was checked by the police the day before the incident » are also among those held in custody, indicate police sources.
(And with AFP)