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 were canceled for the following day.
Balland emphasized that there was no known religious or political motivation for the stabbing and noted that the student was upset that the teacher had reported several disciplinary incidents against him, which he claimed were unfair.
The teenager expressed deep regret for the assault and claimed to feel more hatred towards himself than the victim.
A decision regarding his placement in pre-trial detention will be made when he appears in court.
The victim, who has been at the school for 28 years, is currently in Sainte-Anne Military Hospital in Toulon. While she has been stabilized after surgery, her condition remains serious.
This incident comes amidst a series of attacks by students in French schools over the past few years. Education Minister Édouard Geffray described the attack as unacceptable and noted that there have been significant measures taken to prevent such incidents, including the seizure of over 525 bladed weapons from schools since March of the previous year.
Geffray stressed the importance of collective action among families, teachers, and citizens to address the root causes of violence in schools.
