In response to a surge in violent incidents, France has announced plans to deploy police officers to conduct random searches for knives and other weapons in and around schools. Education Minister Elisabeth Borne revealed the new policy on Friday, stating that the spot checks will begin in the spring.
The initiative aims to address the growing prevalence of stabbings and other violent attacks in educational institutions. Borne emphasized that teachers and school staff are not authorized to search students, making police involvement necessary.
“I want us to be able to organise, together with the prefect, the prosecutor, and the representative of the education system, regular bag searches at the entrance of schools,” Borne told BFMTV/RMC.
The minister also announced plans to introduce stricter disciplinary measures. Under the proposed changes, any student found carrying a bladed weapon at school would automatically face a disciplinary council and be reported to prosecutors. Currently, such actions are at the discretion of school heads.
The decision follows a series of violent incidents, including a recent stabbing at a high school in Bagneux, a southwestern suburb of Paris, where a 17-year-old student was seriously injured.
In Seine-Saint-Denis, a region north of Paris with higher-than-average crime rates, authorities have already placed around 20 middle and high schools under police surveillance, deploying approximately 100 officers to prevent further violence.
The new measures underscore the French government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of students and staff in schools amid rising concerns over violent behavior.
