"Committed" teacher and "man of dialogue", who was the beheaded teacher?

Residents of Conflans-Saint-Honorine gathered in front of the alder wood college, where a teacher was assassinated on October 16, 2020. -

• A history-geography professor was beheaded on Friday in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines), around 5 p.m., near the college where he taught.

• Samuel Paty, 47 years old and a father, was a teacher appreciated by his students and parents.

• He was murdered for a course on free speech, in which he had shown caricatures of Muhammad.

Since the announcement of the terrible news, the same words have come back to pay tribute to this "committed" teacher, who loved to launch debates so that his students think and express themselves.

This is what cost him his life.

Samuel Paty, 47, was assassinated on Friday in a street near the Bois d'Aulne college, in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, where he was teaching history and geography.

Arrived a few years ago from Créteil to follow his wife, transferred for her work, he was beheaded by an 18-year-old Chechen Russian for showing caricatures of Muhammad to his fourth year students, as part of a course on freedom of speech.

An exhibition on the theme "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"

"He was fully in his job", which he "liked a lot", confides to AFP Martial, 16, now in high school but who remembers very well this teacher that he had there two years.

“He really wanted to teach us things.

From time to time, we had debates, we spoke, ”he adds.

Samuel Paty, a family man with cropped brown hair, was known for his commitment to his students.

Described as someone discreet and benevolent, he was “very appreciated” by his students, notably assures Armelle, whose 13-year-old son attends college.

Last year, he had set up an exhibition at the college with a series of drawings on the theme “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”.

The result can be found on the establishment's website.

The homage of Jean-Michel Blanquer

A graduate of the University of Lyon 2, he is portrayed as "a brilliant student, a great teacher and a man of dialogue" by a former classmate, who expressed his emotion on Twitter.

"I will cite your name and your comrade example for all those who will still want to do this fine profession", writes the latter, now a lecturer in contemporary history.

Collapsed.

Samuel Paty was my old classmate from @ univ_lyon2.

He was a brilliant student, a great teacher, a man of dialogue.

I will quote your name and your example comrade for all those who will still want to do this beautiful job #ConflansSainteHonorine pic.twitter.com/sUW0hmo0Gy

- Christophe Capuano (@Ch_Capuano) October 17, 2020

Saturday morning, after a night spent in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Jean-Michel Blanquer also paid tribute to the professor.

"Samuel Paty embodied the Republic in what it has most noble: his school," said the Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports.

“He was assassinated because of what he embodied, knowledge in the service of critical thinking.

That is to say in the service of building free and enlightened citizens, greeted the Minister.

He was assassinated because he had given a course on one of the pillars of democracy, freedom of expression.

"

"A normal course"

For this course, which he had been giving for three years and which took place on October 5, the teacher had received many threats.

A parent of a student, in particular, had particularly complained and lodged a complaint.

Samuel Paty's name and address were then disclosed.

From a source close to the case, it is this person who was placed in police custody on Saturday.

“It was a normal course.

It was on the program.

There have never been any problems, explains Jean-Baptiste, one of his former students, at

.

Mr. Paty would ask the students to come out who might be shocked to see the prophet drawn.

But they weren't forcing anyone one way or the other.

"

Events to follow live

In recent days, the teacher "was not on his plate," had observed Myriam, a 13-year-old schoolgirl.

"He did not do this to create controversy or to disrespect children or to discriminate," said Nordine Chaouadi, whose 13-year-old son was starting his second year of lessons with him.

"He said to me 'but he was super nice this gentleman", adds the father.

Saturday morning, the Elysee Palace announced that a national tribute would be paid to the professor.

It will be "organized in coordination with the family," said the entourage of President Emmanuel Macron.

Its date remains to be determined.

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