A 12-year-old student is suspected of sexually assaulting a teacher on June 22nd at La Durantière middle school in Nantes . While they were alone in a classroom, the boy allegedly offered his teacher a massage. After she refused, he reportedly placed his hands on her chest, wrapped his arms around her neck, and then pushed her head against the desk. The victim's screams reportedly stopped the assault.
The teacher was prescribed ten days of sick leave. The student was questioned under the detention procedure, as police custody was not applicable at his age. The facts were acknowledged, but a child psychiatric evaluation is still needed to determine whether the young man possessed the necessary judgment at the time of the alleged assault.
The criminal responsibility of the minor remains to be determined.
Since the student was under 13 years old at the time of the incident, he benefits from a presumption of lack of discernment as provided by the Juvenile Criminal Justice Code. If the expert assessment concludes that he could understand the consequences of his actions, criminal proceedings may be initiated. Otherwise, the court may opt for an educational assistance measure under the authority of a juvenile judge.
The case has also reignited tensions within this school of 350 students. Staff members have been demanding its classification as a priority education network school since 2019 and are calling for increased resources. Having received no response from the Ministry to their latest letter, they are threatening to strike on September 8th. This mobilization thus broadens the issue of individual cases to include the question of staffing and safety conditions within the school.
