For the Secretary of State for Children, the fight against school and digital harassment must also go through families. She stressed this Saturday on BFMTV the need for “marches of anger”, while a white march in tribute to Lucas is planned in the Vosges by the end of the month.
As Secretary of State for Children, his speech was expected. After her colleague from Education Pap Ndiaye, who spoke of a “terrible tragedy”, Charlotte Caubel spoke on Saturday on the fight against school bullying, a week after the suicide of 13-year-old Lucas.
The young boy ended his life on Saturday January 7 at his home in Golbey, near Épinal (Vosges). A suicide against a backdrop of school bullying and homophobia. This situation had been pointed out by the parents.
“School bullying kills. It often kills, too often”, denounced Charlotte Caubel on BFMTV.
While one child in ten claims to be a victim of bullying at school, the Secretary of State added, as if to account for this massive scourge, that “one million children a year” are concerned. “It’s a tragedy, it’s appalling, and everyone has to take it on board,” she asked.
The government representative on children’s issues wished to recall what already exists in the fight against bullying, such as “telephone numbers to which victims can call”. 3020 for school bullying, 3018 for digital bullying.
“When I say the victims, it can also be the witnesses (…) We must alert: the children, the teachers, the families …”, added Charlotte Caubel.
“We must of course support the harassed but also the harassers. The school has set up mediations to bring together the harassed and the harassers. The harassers can become harassed, we must not forget that”, she also underlined .
“I don’t think we are born homophobic”
For Charlotte Caubel, the responsibility is also that of the parents, who must be able to identify “victim or perpetrator behavior in their children”. And the Secretary of State to emphasize education and inculcated values.
“Children generally do what they see or what they experience. Violence in families, children see it, suffer it and reproduce it”, recalled Charlotte Caubel.
“I don’t think we’re born homophobic, children aren’t born that way, so they’ve heard that (…) It’s extremely important that adults be exemplary,” she said. hammered.
But the problem also comes from digital, an aggravating factor in school bullying, according to her. “Telephones are prohibited but as you know, enforcing this ban is not always easy,” admitted Charlotte Caubel.
She added that “the time of discrimination has gone beyond school limits”, giving the example of homework help WhatsApp groups, which become a place of mockery and insults. Charlotte Caubel therefore called for “everyone’s awareness” of the risks of digital technology.
“Never again!”
While a white march will take place at the end of the month, the government representative also underlined the need for “wrath marches”, to say “never again!”.
On the responsibility of child bullies, Charlotte Caubel referred to the Penal Code. “When they are old enough to be discerning (13 years old), they must be punished to match their responsibilities,” she explained. She added that, in Lucas’ case, “the inquest will decide who did what.”
The civil funeral of young Lucas also took place this Saturday at 5 p.m. at the funeral home of Épinal. The family’s wish to see people wearing an LGBT sign has been respected. An important police device had been put in place to prevent the press from approaching the family.
The cremation will take place on Monday January 23 at 2:15 p.m. in Épinal. As for the white march scheduled for the end of the month, it will undoubtedly take place the last weekend of January.
If a student is the victim of bullying at school, he or his relatives can contact the 3020, the national reference number. The person or their relatives can contact this listening and support number for free.
