A 14-year-old who stabbed his art teacher told French police he attacked her because he had too much hatred, a prosecutor has said.
The 60-year-old woman's condition remains a serious concern after she was stabbed three to four times in her chest in front of 22 students in south-eastern France on Tuesday, a local official said.
Toulon prosecutor Raphaël Balland stated that the boy had premeditated the attack, describing taking the knife from his kitchen at home with the intention of stabbing his teacher.
La Guicharde school, in Sanary-sur-Mer, was evacuated after the incident, and classes for the following day were canceled.
Balland reported that there was no known religious or political motivation for the stabbing. Additionally, the student was allegedly upset about prior disciplinary incidents reported by the teacher, which he deemed unfair.
The teenager expressed to authorities that he deeply regretted the attack, enjoying feelings of self-hatred more than towards the victim.
A ruling on his placement in pre-trial detention will be made when he appears in court. The teacher, who has worked at the school for 28 years, has been stabilized after surgery but remains in serious condition at Sainte-Anne Military Hospital in Toulon.
This incident is part of a troubling trend of violence in French educational institutions. Last year, another 14-year-old was charged with murder after fatally stabbing a teaching assistant. In a separate case from April, a knife attack in Nantes led to the death of a girl and injuries to others.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray labeled the incident as unacceptable, noting that 525 bladed weapons had been confiscated at schools since March last year. Geffray stated, Schools reflect our society, and they cannot, on their own, stem the rise in verbal and physical violence that characterizes our times. He emphasized the need for collective efforts from families, educators, and community members to mitigate rising tensions.
