A teacher involved in the suicide of a bullied student? An association reacts

in collaboration with

Nora Tirane (General Delegate and Founder of the Marion La main tende association)

The tragedy occurred in 2019, already five years ago. Evaëlle Dupuis, an 11-year-old schoolgirl, committed suicide by hanging after being the victim of school bullying. The particularity of this case: the young girl’s French teacher is allegedly involved in the harassment and now risks a trial. The Pontoise public prosecutor’s office has just requested his referral to the criminal court.

Teachers, sometimes involved in the harassment suffered by their students

To understand how this kind of situation can arise, Doctissimo interviewed Nora Tirane, general delegate and founder of the Marion association, La main tende, which fights against school bullying. “When we questioned students in our latest survey, carried out by Ifop, it emerged that in 7% of cases, the teacher is designated as being responsible for the harassment. she explains first. “We know that sometimes, consciously or not, the teacher in the context of his posture, his way of communicating, can be responsible for a deterioration of the climate in class. specifies the founder of the association.

A lack of training, sometimes a lack of common sense

However, the correct posture to have with students is part of the learning provided to teachers during their training. “The way of communicating is part of the initial training of teachers” confirms Nora Tirane. “It’s also common sense.” she adds, citing the example of teachers who can, for example, make fun of a student’s last name, a mockery that will later be picked up by classmates.

This also involves more insidious acts, such as sending a child alone to the board. “A child in difficulty will find himself alone in front of the group, it is always a destabilizing posture” adds Nora Tirane. “In training, I always invite several students to join me at the board, to act ‘group facing the group’, by providing them with a caring framework. I invite teachers to do the same, this is one of the simple little tips, but which really work against harassment“.

Have several adult advisors on the issue of harassment in establishments

Still in the same survey, the association highlights that 65% of teachers feel helpless when faced with the issue of harassment. “This figure reflects the fact that they lack the means to properly address the issue of school bullying.“, estimates the general delegate of Marion La Main Tendue.

According to her, it is necessary “create in first grade, in nursery and primary school, a unit dedicated to caring for victims of harassment; and in middle and high schools, have at least two resource people per establishment, specifically dedicated to school bullying.”. With nearly 60,000 establishments in France, this would represent 120,000 people to be trained specifically on the issue.