いじめ自殺生徒の両親「憤慨」　通報時に当局から名誉棄損の警告　仏

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】フランスで、学校でのいじめを訴えて後に自殺した男子生徒の両親が、教育当局からいじめの通報が名誉毀損（きそん）に当たる可能性があるとする警告を含む書簡を受け取っていたことが明らかになった。両親は、この対応に「憤慨し、がくぜんとした」と吐露している。（写真はフランス・ポワシー市庁舎で、いじめを受けて自殺した男子生徒の家族に面会したブリジット・マクロン大統領夫人とガブリエル・アタル国民教育相ら）
　ニコラさん（１５）は夏休みが明けた今月５日に自殺した。前年度、首都パリの西郊に位置するイブリーヌ県ポワシーの学校でいじめを受けていたと訴え、新年度からパリ市内へ転校したばかりだった。
　ニコラさんの家族によると、いじめを通報したイブリーヌ県の教育当局から同情の念が示されるどころか、両親の主張は「受け入れ難く」、「建設的」な態度を望むとする書簡を受け取っていた。この中には、誹謗（ひぼう）中傷は５年以下の禁錮刑および４万５０００ユーロ（約７００万円）以下の罰金が科される犯罪行為だとする文言もあったという。
　一家はさらに、ポワシーの学校側からもいじめを否定する内容の手紙を受け取っていた。
　ニコラさんの母親のベアトリスさんはＡＦＰとの書面でのやりとりの中で、「このような書簡を受け取り、私たちは憤慨し、がくぜんとした。ニコラの父親も私も理解できなかったし、今もまだ理解できていない」と述べた。
　イブリーヌ県当局がニコラさんの家族に書簡を送ったのは５月だった。だがその存在は先週、ニュース専門局ＢＦＭＴＶが報じて初めて明らかになった。
　問題の発覚で、いじめ撲滅を最優先課題として掲げるフランス政府は面目をつぶされた形となった。
　今月７日、ブリジット・マクロン大統領夫人と共にニコラさんの家族と面会したガブリエル・アタル国民教育相は、名誉毀損を警告した書簡は恥ずべきものだと批判。エリザベット・ボルヌ首相も「衝撃的」だと述べた。
　ベアトリスさんは、閣僚らの言葉により息子の苦しみがやっと認められたと感じたとしながらも、今後明らかになる調査の結果次第では、法的措置も辞さない構えを示している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/09/20-16:33）

The parents of a French schoolboy who killed himself after complaining of being bullied at school said they were disgusted by the response of the authorities, which included a threatening letter warning they could face prison for slander.
The 15-year-old boy, named as Nicolas, killed himself on September 5, one day after children went back to class in France after the summer break.
He had moved for the new term to an establishment in Paris, after complaining of being bullied during the previous school year at his former school in Poissy, in the Yvelines region southwest of the capital.
Rather than expressing sympathy with the family's predicament, the Yvelines regional education authorities, based in Versailles, sent them a letter saying statements made by the parents had been unacceptable and urged them to adopt a constructive attitude.
It even reminded them that slander in France can be a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in jail and a heavy fine of up to 45,000 euros ($48,000). The family had also received a dismissive letter from the management of the Poissy school.
We were outraged and appalled to receive such letters, his mother Beatrice told AFP in a written exchange.
Nicolas's father and I didn't understand it. We still don't understand it, she added.
The controversy has become a major embarrassment for the French government, which has sought to make combating bullying a top priority.
Education Minister Gabriel Attal said the threatening letter, which was sent in May but whose existence was first reported only last week by the BFMTV channel, was shameful.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said it was shocking.
The boy's mother said she was relieved by the ministers' comments, which she said acknowledged their son's suffering.
But she added the family would await the outcome of an investigation before deciding on any legal action.
Attal, 34, who this month had met the boy's family alongside first lady Brigitte Macron, is seen as one of the most ambitious ministers in President Emmanuel Macron's government.
He has made tackling bullying a priority after a series of high-profile suicides in recent years of children who had complained of being bullied at school.
Versailles prosecutors are seeking to investigate whether Nicolas's suicide was directly linked to bullying, cautioning against drawing any conclusions for now.
Attal is due on Monday to host a meeting of school regional authorities to discuss all the reports of bullying received over the last year.