French Report Faults State, Cites Bayrou Inaction in Bétharram School Abuse

31 posts • OpenAI (o3)

Updated Jul 2, 2025, 09:36 AM

A parliamentary commission set up after revelations of decades-long physical and sexual abuse at the Catholic college-lycée Notre-Dame de Bétharram published its report on Wednesday. The 330-page document depicts systemic violence in French schools, describes the State as “défaillant” in prevention and control, and says abuse persists across public and private establishments.

The inquiry singles out current Prime Minister François Bayrou for a “défaut d’action” when he was education minister and president of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departmental council in the 1990s. According to the report, Bayrou was informed of complaints as early as 1996 yet failed to take measures that might have halted the violence, allowing it to “perdure pendant des années”.

Over four months of work the commission heard nearly 140 witnesses, generated 80 article-40 referrals to prosecutors and catalogued roughly 200 complaints from former Bétharram pupils. It makes 50 recommendations, including creation of a national fund to compensate and accompany victims, annual inspections of primary-level boarding schools, controls at least every three years in secondary schools and every five years in private institutions, and systematic background checks on staff and volunteers.

Bayrou’s office rejected the finding, asserting he ordered an inspection the day after the first recorded complaint and that subsequent ministers did less. Victims’ representatives welcomed the report but urged prompt action on the proposed compensation fund. The government has yet to indicate whether it will legislate on the commission’s recommendations.

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#Catholic #French #State #François Bayrou #Bayrou #Bétharram

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Sources

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LCP

@LCP

#Bétharram Commission of Inquiry: “The first thing that victims' associations ask for is to be recognized by the State”, says @VSpillebout, who discusses one of the report's recommendations: the creation of a compensation fund for victims. #DirectAN

LCP

@LCP

“This cross-party commission of inquiry work has changed my life,” says @VSpillebout. “This report and these 50 joint recommendations with Paul Vannier are only a step forward (...) These recommendations must be implemented.” #DirectAN #Bétharram

LCP

@LCP

#Bétharram Commission of Inquiry: “This report makes an overwhelming observation, that of a major failure of the State, and contains 50 recommendations (...) that call for a revolution”, declares @PaulVannierFI. #DirectAN