Bally Bagayoko wished a speedy recovery to the principal and the teacher injured by shotgun fire at a college in Aubagne. He expressed his support for the students, staff, and families affected, as well as for the young minor involved and his family, and commended the intervention of those present and the emergency services. He believed that the age of the adolescent called for an inquiry, without prejudging the causes, into what factors of suffering, harassment, isolation, or violence could have contributed to the tragedy. He also mentioned the role of social media and the dissemination of violent images, calling for greater accountability from platforms, better regulation of such content, and enhanced education on media literacy. Bagayoko, however, emphasized that screens could not be the sole explanation. He advocated for better consideration of the mental health of young people, the fight against bullying, more resources for educational teams and the professionals involved, as well as preventing minors from accessing weapons. He warned against calls to immediately toughen the juvenile justice system and to challenge the principles of the 1945 ordinance. According to him, the response should take into account the age, maturity, and background of the young person, and should combine sanction, education, support, and prevention. He added that acknowledging potential suffering in the adolescent did not equate to excusing the actions or forgetting the victims. Bagayoko finally called for the protection of victims and the educational community while seeking to prevent further incidents. He believed that no child should be left alone in the face of their distress and called for schools and society to be spaces of protection. #Éducation #Prévention #Violence (translated)
