From local and national elected officials to actors in the world of education, reactions follow one another to express the “horror” of such a tragedy in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. A teacher was killed by a student during a Spanish lesson on Wednesday.
“It is absolutely amazing what’s going on”, loose Laurent Zameczkowski. Like many people interviewed by franceinfo, the vice-president of the Federation of Parents of Public Education Pupils (PEEP) is stunned by the murder of a teacher in the middle of Spanish class on Wednesday February 22, stabbed by a student in a high school in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
>> LIVE: Teacher killed in Saint-Jean-de-Luz: the student suspected of having stabbed her was arrested
For Stéphane Crochet, the general delegate of the SE-UNSA union, “This is tragic news and it is a shock for the teaching community. We are also thinking of our colleague’s family.”
“You don’t have to die at work when you’re a teacher.”
Stéphane Crochet, general delegate of the SE-UNSA unionat franceinfo
Reactions are also multiplying in the political class. On franceinfo, Max Brisson, Senator Les Républicains des Pyrénées-Atlantiques expressed his “emotion and sadness”. Vincent Bru, the MoDem MP for the constituency, says to himself “horrified”. “The school should be a sanctuary”, said the senator. I does not want there to be any political manipulation.”
The President of the National Assembly and deputy for Yvelines declared that “France was in mourning after the appalling tragedy that occurred in Saint-Jean-de-Luz”. “Attacking a teacher is attacking the Republic”, wrote on the social network Twitter, Aurore Bergé, MP Renaissance. Ihe first secretary of the PS, Olivier Faure, presents his “condolences to the family” and bring his “support for the educational community”.
The mayor of Cannes and president of the association of mayors of France, David Lisnard made the link between the assassination of Samuel Paty and the murder of the Spanish teacher: “Three years ago, Samuel Paty was murdered on leaving college, writes the chosen one on Twitter. This morning, a teacher from Saint-Jean-de-Luz lost her life after being stabbed in her class by a student. Full support to the victim’s family, faculty and students.”
The Conference of Bishops expresses its “tremendous sadness”
The facts took place in a class of the private Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin high school in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) announced on Wednesday in a press release that it “stupor” and sound “tremendous sadness”. The bishop of the diocese of Bayonne-Oloron-Lescar, Marc Aillet, said to himself “appalled by this tragedy” at the microphone of France Bleu Pays Basque. “I am also very touched by the solidarity and concern of the public and religious authorities in the face of this event”, did he declare. “It is an unthinkable event, in Saint-Jean-Luz in particular, which should never have taken place”he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers go above all to the teacher’s family, to the entire educational community of the establishment, students and teachers, and to all those who are at their side in this terrible ordeal.”
Conference of Bishops of Francein a press release
The Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) assured the diocese of Bayonne-Oloron-Lescar and its bishop Marc Aillet, as well as all the teams of Catholic Education, its “support” and his “Communion”.
“It is an establishment which has a strong reputation for educational quality”said Wednesday on franceinfo, the MoDem deputy Vincent Bru. I am thinking above all of the family of this Spanish teacher who died and as well as the entire teaching community of this establishment which is extremely affected. No one in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the Basque Country imagined that such an event could happen in this establishment.”
Teachers’ unions demand government action
The main suspect is a 16-year-old student, unknown to the police. He was arrested on Wednesday morning. “It’s something that should never, ever happen.”, was moved Laurent Zameczkowski, the vice-president of the PEEP. The teachers’ unions are calling on the government to react quickly. “We must take steps so that this monstrous event never happens again. We must do everything possible so that it never happens again.”
For Jean-Rémi Girard, president of the National Union of High Schools and Colleges, also a teacher, “it is not a question of instrumentalizing what has just happened” but to recognize that “National Education is not doing very well”.He wants a “better support”, “more help” And “more support” even if he is aware that the “zero risk will never exist” and that all this “will not bring the colleague back” deceased.
“According to a ministry survey on well-being, we see that teachers feel that their profession is not at all well regarded in society, for example, and that their working conditions are not good. messages that need to be heard.”
Jean-Rémi Girard, President of the National Union of High Schools and Collegesat franceinfo
At the time of his arrest, the high school student said he heard voices and was “possesses”. For Stéphane Crochet, general delegate of the SE-UNSA union, “We can say to ourselves that whatever the security measures that would have been taken, if ever we are dealing with a sick psychological profile, we would not have succeeded in preventing this tragedy.” The MoDem deputy for Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Vincent Bru, also sees in this drama “an opportunity to reflect on the situation of many young people in great difficulty. I think that this tragedy reflects the great fragility in the world of youth”he repeats.