Paris: 132 after-school care workers suspended – 52 over suspected sexual violence

The suspensions concern exclusively staff working in the so-called périscolaire – that is, in the after-school care for schoolchildren that takes place after lessons. Grégoire spoke of a "ville de Paris, secouée par un scandale d'agressions dans le périscolaire" and declared the handling of the incidents a political priority.

In parallel with the suspensions, the mayor announced the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry. He announced the creation of a commission of inquiry, speaking of a "commission d'enquête indépendante" that is to examine the entire complex. It will be led by the former youth judge Antoine Garapon, who has been given "carte blanche pour faire des préconisations et analyser tout ce qu'il s'est passé".

Independent commission under former youth judge

The Paris public prosecutor's office is currently investigating at around 110 preschools, primary schools, and daycare centres, according to sources close to the city. The public prosecutor's office is currently investigating at around 110 preschools, primary schools, and daycare centres. The scope of the ongoing investigations makes clear that the scandal is not limited to individual institutions.

Investigations by the public prosecutor's office

As early as April, Grégoire had announced a 20-million-euro action plan to improve the situation in after-school care. The measures now presented are intended to supplement this plan, although concrete individual steps regarding personnel checks or reporting channels have not yet been made public.

Politics is also responding at the national level: last week, the National Assembly passed a bill to tighten controls on care personnel in schools. The trigger was numerous cases of abuse at a Catholic school in southwestern France, which had caused a national stir.

Political reactions at the national level

Emmanuel Grégoire belongs to the Parti Socialiste and has been mayor of the French capital for a short time. He used the school visit in the northwest of the city to present the new measures in person. The announcement came only a few weeks after he took office and against the backdrop of growing criticism of oversight of care staff.

Observers see the wave of suspensions as the peak so far of an affair that has shaken confidence in school after-school care in Paris. Parents' initiatives and teachers' unions have repeatedly called in recent weeks for transparent clarification and a nationwide review of personnel files.

What specific allegations underlie the 52 cases of sexual violence and how many proceedings will actually go to court is currently unclear. The commission of inquiry under Garapon is first to analyse the structures and failures and then submit recommendations on how such incidents can be prevented in the future.

The City of Paris announced that it would actively accompany the commission's work and feed the results into the already announced 20-million-euro action plan. Until then, the 132 suspended activity leaders remain barred from service in the capital's schools.