A 14-year-old student stabbed his music teacher in the face during classes at a middle school in Benfeld, northeastern France, on September 24, 2025. The teacher survived the attack and is in stable condition after surgery, while the student remains in critical condition after stabbing himself in the neck during his arrest.
The incident occurred at College Robert Schuman secondary school, where the student attacked his teacher with a large kitchen knife in a hallway. Strasbourg prosecutor Clarisse Taron reported that the student did not attempt to attack other teachers or students before fleeing the scene on a bicycle.
Authorities arrested the suspect shortly after the attack as he attempted to escape. During the arrest, the student stabbed himself in the neck and was subsequently hospitalized in critical condition. French education minister Elisabeth Borne confirmed the teacher underwent an initial operation and remains under medical observation, though her life is not in danger.
The investigation revealed disturbing details about the student’s background and interests. Taron indicated that the student had experienced a difficult childhood, having been placed with a host family where he suffered violence before being moved to an institution. Authorities discovered the student had a fascination with weapons and Nazi ideology.
Borne noted that psychologists had been monitoring the student after he created Nazi-themed drawings, including images of a soldier performing a Nazi salute. The student had already faced disciplinary action at his institution for these concerning behaviors. Additionally, he had been temporarily expelled from the school, and officials had opened a new disciplinary procedure after he drew SS symbols in a notebook.
Despite these warning signs, Borne emphasized that the student had no documented history of violence. The prosecutor described the attack as isolated, with Benfeld Mayor Jacky Wolfarth confirming that the school was evacuated following the incident.
The attack has reignited discussions about security measures in French educational institutions. This incident follows a pattern of concerning violence in French schools that has prompted government officials to consider enhanced safety protocols. In June 2025, then-Prime Minister Francois Bayrou announced plans to test security gates at schools following another stabbing incident involving a school aide during a bag search.
The case also recalls the 2020 murder of teacher Samuel Paty, who was killed after showing students caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad during a lesson on free speech. That incident sparked significant political debate about teacher safety and freedom of expression in French educational settings.
Borne responded to the September 24 incident by activating an emergency response unit to provide support for students and staff at the affected school. She visited the scene immediately following the attack and expressed solidarity with the teacher and school community. “I strongly condemn the assault of a teacher by a student,” she stated on social media platform X.
The investigation continues as authorities work to understand the full circumstances surrounding the attack. The prefecture declined to provide additional comments, while the gendarmerie and local prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for further information about the case.
French media outlets reported extensively on the incident, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing the country’s educational system regarding student behavior and security measures. The case has drawn attention to the need for more effective identification and intervention systems for students exhibiting concerning behaviors or ideological interests.
School districts across France are reviewing their current protocols in response to recent incidents involving violence in educational settings, including this one.
