Minister of Education Promises Sanctions and Security Measures for Tribute to Slain Teacher

The Minister of National Education, Gabriel Attal, promised Sunday evening “disciplinary sanctions and a systematic referral to the public prosecutor” in the event of “dispute” or “provocation” during the tribute planned in memory of the teacher killed in Arras on Friday.

The Minister of National Education Gabriel Attal assured this Sunday evening on TF1 that he would “tolerate no protest, no provocation” during the tribute planned for Monday in schools in memory of the teacher killed on Friday in an Islamist attack in Arras.

“There will be a nominal report of all protests and all provocations,” insisted Gabriel Attal, promising “disciplinary sanctions and systematic referral to the public prosecutor to initiate proceedings.”

Monday morning, from 8:00 a.m., teachers will be able to meet in their establishment during a time reserved for them, to reflect and pay tribute to Dominique Bernard, professor stabbed to death by a radicalized young man in Arras.

Deployment of 1,000 security personnel

The students will not arrive until 10:00 a.m. and, after a time of discussion with the teachers, will observe a minute of silence at 2:00 p.m. in each class of schools, colleges and high schools, just like the civil servants of all the services of the national education administration.

On Monday, teachers and students will also have a thought for Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher beheaded by a radicalized young person just three years ago.

During the tributes paid to the latter in 2020, as to the victims of Charlie Hebdo in January 2015, “there were protests or provocations”, recalled the minister, while emphasizing that these protests had been ” minority”.

The Minister of Education Gabriel Attal, who requested the strengthening of security around all schools, colleges and high schools, also announced the deployment of 1,000 security personnel from the ministry in educational establishments.

Concerning the security of these school buildings, the minister announced that he would bring together “next week (…) all local authorities” to discuss “without taboo”. “There are plenty of avenues, solutions that are on the table,” he continued, referring to “gates”, “establishments where there are more security guards, others which use video surveillance”. “The school has been hit hard” but remains “standing”, underlined Gabriel Attal earlier, insisting: “The school will not allow itself to be terrorized”.