French teachers seek state protection after Paty and Bernard killings

In the years following the tragic killings of French teachers Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard, there has been a sharp increase in the number of educators requesting protection from the state. 

According to recent data from the French Ministry of Education, the number of requests for functional protection — covering legal fees, medical support, and legal assistance has more than doubled, rising from 2,218 in 2020 to 4,948 in 2023. 

Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, was beheaded in October 2020 after showing his students cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad made by the French newspaper Charlie Hebdo during a lesson on free speech. 

His murder shocked the nation and highlighted the dangers faced by teachers who navigate sensitive topics in the classroom. Paty had received multiple threats before his murder, yet despite reporting them, the protection he needed came too late. 

Just one year ago, in October 2023, Dominique Bernard, another teacher, was killed in an Islamist attack. According to Martin-Roch Doussau, a philosophy teacher at the same high school, the killer was looking for a “history teacher”, which led people to directly think of Paty, who also taught history and was killed three years prior. 

Bernard’s death further highlighted the risks faced by teachers in France, particularly those addressing complex social and cultural issues. 

Both murders prompted national conversations about the safety of educators and the role of the state in their protection. 

Functional protection: An underused safeguard

Functional protection, which dates back to the 1983 Le Pors law, entitles public servants, including teachers, to legal, medical, and financial support when they face threats or violence in connection to their duties. 

In the case of teachers, this protection can be used in instances of verbal or physical assault, defamation, harassment, or legal threats. However, it remained unused for many years, with many educators unaware of this option. 

The murders of Paty and Bernard, along with the subsequent threats against teachers, have made functional protection more widely known and utilised.

Guislaine David, Secretary General of France’s largest primary school teachers union, noted that following Paty’s death, teachers were actively encouraged to request protection whenever they faced threats. 

Despite this, many educators remain hesitant to take advantage of the safeguard, either due to a lack of awareness or concerns that their requests will not be taken seriously. 

Surge in requests for protection

Since the tragic deaths of Paty and Bernard, there has been a significant increase in the number of functional protection requests.

According to reports from the Ministry of Education, in 2021, 3,211 requests were made — a 45% increase from the previous year. By 2023, this number had surged to 4,949 — a 123% rise compared to 2020. 

The main reason cited for these requests was threats to physical integrity, such as verbal or physical assaults. Notably, 82.6% of these requests were approved, providing support for educators facing danger. 

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In October, Minister of Education Anne Genetet announced plans to expand the state’s ability to provide functional protection.

One key proposal is to allow the Ministry of Education to file legal complaints on behalf of threatened teachers, potentially removing some of the administrative burdens that discourage educators from seeking help. 

Schools across France will observe a minute of silence on Monday to honour the memories of Samuel Paty and Dominique Bernard.