In the sunny seaside town of Sanary-sur-Mer, between Toulon and Marseille, a quiet middle school day turned heartbreaking on Tuesday, February 3, when a 60-year-old art teacher was brutally attacked by one of her own students.
The dedicated educator, who remains unnamed for privacy, was stabbed three or four times during class at La Guicharde Middle School.
An investigating source described the chilling prelude that the boy “had been shouting threats at the teacher” before lunging with a knife.
Rushed to hospital in critical condition, the teacher fought for her life as medical teams worked urgently. By evening, updates from authorities indicated her condition had stabilized somewhat, though caution remains high.
The school was evacuated immediately after the incident, with classes canceled the following day to allow students, staff, and families space to process the trauma witnessed by around 20 classmates.
The 14-year-old suspect fled the classroom but was quickly apprehended in the schoolyard and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, according to Raphaël Balland, the public prosecutor in Toulon.
France’s Education Minister Édouard Geffray expressed his “profound shock” over the incident and said he would be “going to the scene immediately” to support the community.
Colleagues and locals have shared warm memories of the teacher, describing her as kind and beloved after years of inspiring young artists.
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