School harassment: fear of going to school, teasing, annual barometer… what should we remember from the survey published this Monday ?

À tous les niveaux, 5 % des élèves ont déclaré ne pas avoir d’ami dans leur école ou établissement. France Info – Noemie Bonin

As part of the fight against school bullying, the new Minister of Education, Nicole Belloubet, visited a college in Reims on February 12, 2024. During her trip, the minister revealed the results of the questionnaires distributed to students at the start of the year.

"A real scourge that we absolutely must eradicate", declared the Minister of Education. According to the results of a survey carried out in November 2023 as part of the interministerial plan against school bullying, more than one student per class on average would be affected by school bullying. Which corresponds to 5% of schoolchildren from CE2 to CM2, 6% of middle school students and 5% of high school students are considered victims of harassment.

7.5 million students participated in the survey

The conclusions of the survey show that 5% of students from CE2 to CM2 have "often” or "very often" fear of going to school versus 2% each, for middle and high school students.

According to the 17,000 questionnaires distributed to a total of 7.5 million students from CE2 to final year, "a significant portion" of them 'must be subject to increased vigilance in the face of the risk of harassment" i.e. 19% of schoolchildren from CE2 to CM2, 6% of middle school students and 5% of high school students.

"Repeatedly subjecting people to negative or even violent comments or behavior"

"In a school environment, bullying is the act, for a student or a group of students, of repeatedly subjecting a classmate to negative or even violent comments or behavior" explains the statistical service of National Education.

At school, the most frequently reported repeated attacks are false rumors and insults which concern 17% of young children. As the results of the survey indicate, 12% of students have already been pushed and 12% have already fought with one or more students.

In middle and high school, mockery linked to physique, origins, beliefs or sexual orientation is one of the most frequent attacks with 11% of middle school students concerned and 7% of high school students. Rumors come in second place with 7% of middle school students and 5% of high school students experiencing them.

An annual barometer to measure school bullying

At all levels, nearly 5% of students reported not having any friends in their school or establishment,

Faced with these alarming results, Nicole Belloubet specified that this survey would henceforth be repeated each year "in the form of an annual barometer of harassment in schools".

If "a risky situation" is discovered via the questionnaire, "a new individual self-assessment during which anonymity will be lifted with the agreement of the parents will be decided" announced the minister.