French Student Sentenced to Suspended Prison Term for Assaulting Teacher Over Veil Dispute

An 18-year-old student in Tourcoing received a four-month suspended sentence after striking her teacher during a confrontation about wearing a veil at school.

The incident occurred on October 7, 2024, at Lycée Sévigné in Tourcoing, when the teacher asked the student to remove her veil in accordance with French laws on secularism in schools.
The student, identified as Warda H., was convicted of violence against a public servant and death threats, resulting in a four-month suspended sentence and 18 months of probation.
Additional penalties include a citizenship course, a €1,000 fine to be paid to the teacher, and restrictions on contacting the teacher or approaching the school.
The teacher, who sustained minor injuries, emphasized her actions were motivated by defending France's secular principles, while the student admitted to reacting poorly but denied initiating the violence.
The case has reignited discussions in France about secularism, religious expression in schools, and the protection of educators from violence.