Sanary-sur-Mer, France – (February 4, 2026) — A 14-year-old student remains in police custody Wednesday for allegedly stabbing his plastic arts teacher multiple times at La Guicharde college, with the Toulon prosecutor’s office reporting the boy admitted to premeditating the attack.
A 14-year-old boy is in custody after stabbing his teacher at a school in southern France, admitting to authorities that the attack was planned.
- A 14-year-old student is in custody in connection with the stabbing of his teacher in Sanary-sur-Mer, France.
- The Toulon prosecutor stated the boy confessed to premeditating the attack, alleging the teacher had unfairly recorded incidents involving him on the “Pronote” application.
- Investigators found the boy possessed multiple bladed weapons, though authorities have found no evidence of religious or political radicalization.
- The incident has prompted shock and concern from the Minister of National Education and the local community.
The teacher’s condition remains very worrying, according to authorities. The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon in the courtyard of La Guicharde college, according to reports.
During his initial hearing, the accused stated he acted because he felt the teacher had unfairly recorded incidents concerning him on the “Pronote” application, a digital platform used for school communication, according to a press release from Toulon public prosecutor Raphaël Balland.
The prosecutor stated the boy took a knife from his home kitchen with the intention of attacking his teacher. He told investigators he acted because he felt “too much hatred” and “stabbed him four times.”
The teenager also indicated he had previously planned to attack the teacher the prior week, bringing a knife to school but ultimately abandoning the attempt due to fear, Balland said.
Authorities have found no evidence of religious or political radicalization in the boy’s statements or during a search of his home. However, investigators discovered several bladed weapons in his room, which he claimed he possessed because he considered them “stylish.”
Following the attack, the teenager expressed regret, stating he felt “a big hatred” toward the teacher and “cried all the tears in his body” while striking him, according to the prosecutor’s statement.
Minister of National Education Édouard Geffray, who visited the school Wednesday, described the incident as “unpredictable” and “isolated,” stating, “Nothing suggested this action.”
The school, described as having an “exemplary” climate, has left students and parents stunned. A parent who knew the boy told France 3 Var he had not observed any signs of violence.
Background and Context
The boy’s family situation is described as complicated. Following a dismissed report of domestic violence, a children’s judge ordered an educational assistance mission for the boy and his sister in September 2025. However, the prosecutor stated that the judge found “no element of danger” at that time.
The boy reaffirmed to police that he had not been the victim of violence by his parents. He remains in custody and is expected to be presented to court on Thursday, February 12. The charge of attempted murder carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison for minors under the age of 16.
