A teaching assistant has tragically lost her life after being stabbed by a student outside Françoise Dolto middle school in Nogent, north-east France, on Tuesday morning. The attack occurred as police were conducting random bag checks on students. The Haute-Marne prefecture confirmed that the 31-year-old assistant was attacked during this security measure, and a 14-year-old suspect is now in custody.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his sorrow over the incident, stating it represented a “senseless wave of violence,” while also declaring a period of national mourning. Political leaders across the spectrum have condemned the act, prompting calls for enhanced efforts towards curbing knife crime in schools.
Despite no prior police records on the suspect and the motive still unclear, Education Minister Elisabeth Borne noted her intention to visit the school in the wake of the event. She praised the actions of those who intervened to subdue the attacker. Prime Minister François Bayrou extended his condolences, acknowledging the victim's child and emphasizing the critical nature of rising blade threats among youth.
The incident has sparked sharp political discourse, with opposition figures like Marine Le Pen criticizing the normalization of violence and demanding more accountability from government authorities. The prevalence of such acts raises significant concerns, especially following previous attacks, including the murder of a teacher last October in Arras.
In an effort to enhance safety, following earlier incidents, Bayrou had previously pushed for increased security checks, noting that 94 bladed weapons had already been confiscated since March during school inspections. Jean-Remi Girard from the National Union of Secondary Schools voiced that while vigilance is essential, it’s impractical to categorize all students as threats. The heightened scrutiny of school safety continues as the nation grapples with this latest tragedy.
