A 14-year-old who stabbed his art teacher told French police he attacked her because he had 'too much hatred', a prosecutor has said.
The 60-year-old woman's condition remains a 'serious concern' after she was stabbed three to four times in her chest in front of 22 students in south-eastern France on Tuesday, a local official said.
Toulon prosecutor Raphaël Balland stated that the boy had premeditated the attack, having described to police taking the knife from his kitchen at home with the 'intention of stabbing his teacher'.
La Guicharde school, in Sanary-sur-Mer, was evacuated after the attack, and lessons the next day were cancelled.
Balland also noted there was no known religious or political motivation for the stabbing, and the student was allegedly upset that the teacher had reported several disciplinary incidents against him, which he deemed 'unfair'.
The teenager expressed remorse for the attack, stating he felt more hatred towards himself than towards the victim.
A decision on his pre-trial detention will be made upon his appearance in court.
The victim, who has been teaching for 28 years, is currently in the Sainte-Anne Military Hospital in Toulon. While stabilized after surgery, her condition remains serious.
This incident adds to a worrying trend of violence in French schools; previous attacks include a murder of a teaching assistant by a 14-year-old and a knife attack that left multiple students injured.
Education Minister Édouard Geffray condemned the attack, highlighting that a significant number of weapons have been seized from schools in recent years to prevent such incidents. He called for a comprehensive community effort involving families, educators, and officials to address the troubling increase in violence among students.
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