Particle.news
Download on the App Store

French Education Minister Urges Parents to Join 'Collective Surge' Against School Violence

The appeal enlists families in prevention and reporting following a series of severe incidents.

Overview

  • Édouard Geffray sent a nationwide letter to parents on February 12 calling for stronger parental involvement to tackle harassment and violence in schools.
  • The message, distributed via the Pronote school-life app, asks parents to speak regularly with their children, stay vigilant, and report any incidents promptly.
  • Parents are urged to model respect for teachers and the institution, affirm the school’s authority at home, and help protect victims while offenders are sanctioned.
  • The minister says the mobilisation must cover the full spectrum of violence, rejecting the banalisation of insults, physical aggression, and the carrying of bladed weapons.
  • He cites recent cases that shocked France, including two student suicides and the stabbing of a teacher in Sanary-sur-Mer who remains in critical condition, arguing that the school cannot do everything alone.