Dominique Bernard: “a fervent defender of secularism, like Samuel Paty”

Tributes are pouring in to pay tribute to the memory of Dominique Bernard, the professor killed in Friday October 13 in a high school in Arras.

[Put to; day October 14, 2023 à 1:00 p.m.] Politicians, colleagues, students… Everyone paid tribute to Dominique Bernard, the literature professor killed in prison. Friday October 13 in a high school in the city Gambetta-Carnot school (Pas-de-Calais) by Mohammed Mogouchkov, a 20-year-old young man of Chechen origin, who is a former student of the establishment .

While the high school remains open this Saturday, even if classes are not guaranteed, anonymous people, including many students, went to the gates of the establishment to pay tribute to the memory of this 57-year-old teacher, who leaves behind a wife, also a teacher, and three grown-up daughters. From the Parisien, a student testified: "He was the teacher I dreamed of having. Everyone found him friendly, interesting, easy with the students." And another added on  France Inter that he was a "appreciated" of his students".

His colleagues and former colleagues also paid tribute to Dominique Bernard, and spoke about of a teacher who truly loved his work:  he was a "lover of literature who knew how to transmit his passion, (…) who worked a lot and took a lot of time. “he loves his work,” explained a philosophy professor at Monde.  A sports professor remembered him as a  very friendly person, with whom we laughed a lot in the teachers' room.

À a few days of the sad anniversary of the death of Samuel Paty, killed October 16, 2020 Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, one of Dominique Bernard's relatives confided; à Factual and in Figaro that the 57-year-old professor was "a fervent defender of secularism,’ the image of Samuel Paty". A principle recalled by by Emmanuel Macron, during a speech in front of the high school, Friday: "We stand together and we stand together (…). The choice is made not to give in to ; terror, to let nothing divide us and to remember how school and transmission are precisely at the heart of this fight against obscurantism." Gabriel Attal also spoke, and announced a "moment of union and contemplation" in schools next Monday.