Violence in a Lot college: “They had to get together in groups of three to contain his explosion of anger”, students and staff in shock

Everything can quickly go wrong between teenagers, sometimes over nothing and take a violent turn. Until then preserved, the Saint-Étienne private college in Cahors was confronted with this delicate reality on Tuesday noon. “It all started with an altercation between two 3rd grade students aged 14, at lunch break time. What should have remained at the bickering stage, for a dispute, a fruit crushed on a piece of clothing, ended suddenly crossed a threshold The adults present in the courtyard quickly intervened to stop the fight”, relates, still in shock, Annie Vidal, principal of the school.

He becomes agitated, struggles violently, pushes away adults

But one of the two young people, overcome by terrible anger, cannot calm down. He becomes agitated, struggles violently, pushes away the adults who try to soothe him, then finally to control him. “I think he had no intention of hitting us. He was like in a daze,” noted the head of the establishment. “But in the madness of that moment, with his agitation, the members of our team took blows. They had to get together in groups of three to manage to contain his explosion of anger. I have many years of experience and I have never had never witnessed a scene of such violence.

It was under the eyes of around a hundred students present in the courtyard that the events occurred. During the altercation, a glass door was slammed and broke near young people who were there. Then others are pushed around. Little by little, the tension increases. “Of course, the young people gathered around… But it didn't get out of hand. However, they witnessed this scene”, regrets the principal who recognizes that if they, as adults, were impressed, it is the same for children.

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One of the students suspended as a precautionary measure

Called, the two families quickly came to pick up their boys, including the perpetrator who was immediately suspended as a precautionary measure, while waiting for the establishment and the diocesan management of Catholic education to take appropriate measures. This teenager was not known to be violent. “We will quickly convene a disciplinary council which will take a position, and it could decide on an exclusion,” says the principal who relies completely on this body. In addition, a complaint was filed at the police station and a message written for the attention of all parents of the school, to warn them of the situation.

This Tuesday, a meeting was also held in the Saint-Étienne premises in order to decide on the best arrangements to be made for students who would like support and listening. “We have within our diocesan management a psychologist authorized to intervene urgently with students, she will be present this Thursday afternoon for those who request it. It's crazy how things can get out of hand, I will never I would have thought I would experience such a situation, one day, in my job,” admits Annie Vidal, very affected.

With hindsight, however, all the members of the college manage to put things into perspective, being relieved that there were no serious injuries, apart from bruises and hematomas. Because it could have been serious. Everyone is well aware of this.