“Monsieur Paty” was a “committed” teacher

«When I saw “prof – Bois d’Aulne – decapitation”, I made the direct link: “it’s Monsieur Paty” “, assures Martial, 16, rushed to the Bois d’Aulne college on Friday evening with friends as soon as he heard the news, coming out of football training.

This high school student remembers his 4th year history and geography teacher very well in this reputedly calm school, located in the heart of a residential area which is just as much in this city of 3,000 inhabitants in the north-west of Paris.

«At the beginning of the year he introduced himself. He said he was in Créteil“In another college”and that he came because his wife was transferred for her job», Remembers the young man. Samuel Paty, brown hair cut short, was “small“, wore glasses, “always had a shirt», Recalls Nathan, 16, another former member of the Bois d’Aulne.

“We debated, we talked”

The father, in his forties, was known for his investment in his students. “He was fully in his job“He”liked a lot», confie Martial. «He really wanted to teach us things. From time to time, we had debates, we spoke».

Samuel Paty was beheaded in a street near the college, around 5 p.m. The school holidays of All Saints barely sounded, the assailant – an 18-year-old Chechen Russian – threw himself on him, before being, a little later, shot dead by the police.

According to the first elements of the investigation, the teacher had shown his students of 4th, last week, a caricature of Mohammed.

“Thug”

A report had reached Rodrigo Arenas, co-president of the FCPE, the first association of parents of students, because of the tensions caused by his initiative with certain parents of students. According to a source familiar with the matter, a parent of an indignant student had filed a complaint against Samuel Paty, who in return had filed a defamation complaint against him.

The victim would have, according to Mr. Arenas, “invited Muslim students to leave the classroomBefore showing a drawing of the crouching prophet with a star drawn on his buttocks and the inscription “a star Is Born».

«It was all the years that he did thisSays 15-year-old Virginia, who knew the teacher. «It was on the program for the EMC (moral and civic education, editor’s note), it was to talk about freedom from the Charlie Hebdo attack, he showed these images, the caricatures“, Affirms the young girl, specifying that this year,”it got bigger».

A “sensitive” subject, remembers his Martial side, who attended the same course three years ago.

But what the teacher certainly did not foresee this time was the message launched on social networks by the student’s father. In a video, he calls the teacher a “thug” who “must no longer remain in National Education»And invites other parents to get involved.

Since this “story”, Mr. Paty “was not on his plate», Observed Myriam, a 13-year-old schoolgirl, mimicking his scowl as he strolled through the hallways. “I heard students talking “ah he’s racist” “, she says. Other qualifiers circulated on his account such as “islamophobic», She slips in half a word.

«He did not do this to create controversy or to disrespect children or to discriminate», Affirms Nordine Chaouadi. Her 13-year-old son was entering his second year of classes with Mr. Paty. “He said to me,” he was super nice this gentleman “”, said the father.