Ciivise again criticises delay in law against violence in schools

Paris – 13 July 2026: The Independent Commission on Incest and Sexual Violence Against Children, Ciivise, has sharply criticized the further postponement of the Senate’s consideration of a law against violence in the school environment. Any further delay increases the risk that perpetrators can act unhindered, the commission said. It considers the decision an alarming signal regarding the state’s protection of minors.

At the center is the bill by Violette Spillebout, which is intended to better protect children from physical, psychological and sexual violence in schools and care facilities. The National Assembly adopted the text at first reading on 1 June 2026 through the accelerated procedure. On 2 June, it was transmitted to the Senate as document number 675 of the 2025-2026 session.

The text adopted by the National Assembly combines symbolic recognition with concrete legal instruments. It provides, among other things, for the explicit recognition by the state of the seriousness of violence against children in school and extracurricular settings, as well as a compensation fund for those affected. In addition, education law is intended to more clearly establish the right to schooling free from physical or psychological violence and bullying.

The proposal stems from the parliamentary inquiry into violence in educational institutions. Rapporteur Spillebout had stressed in parliament that the state, where children are entrusted to it, must guarantee their dignity and their physical and psychological integrity. The legislative initiative is therefore aimed not only at the criminal prosecution of acts already committed, but also at prevention, oversight and institutional responsibility.

Ciivise sees the delay as having particular political significance. Its work is based on numerous testimonies from people who experienced sexual violence in childhood and on recommendations for the justice system, healthcare, social services and educational institutions. The commission has pointed out for years that missing reporting structures, insufficiently trained staff and divided responsibilities can contribute to signs of violence being recognized too late.

In the Senate, the bill has been referred to the Committee on Culture, Education, Communication and Sport. The official legislative file so far records the transmission of the text adopted by the National Assembly, but not the completion of the first reading in the Senate. Due to the new postponement, it remains unclear when parliamentary consideration will continue and whether the central protection provisions can still be adopted before the start of the 2026/2027 school year.

Institutionally, the matter is an example of the tension between political support for a protection objective and the limited time available for the parliamentary procedure. The accelerated procedure does shorten the number of possible readings, but it replaces neither committee work nor consideration in plenary session. For Ciivise, this is not a technical detail: according to the commission, the timing of legislative decisions directly determines when prevention and protection obligations become binding.