France issues decree permitting school transfers when parents disrupt education

A decree published in the Journal officiel on 29 July 2026 allows French pupils to be transferred to another school when a parent’s behaviour threatens the safety, health or normal functioning of the establishment. The rule applies to primary schools, collèges and lycées. After a dialogue with the family, the school director can ask the director of the academic services of the national education (DaSEN); the mayor may then remove the child and enrol it in another school in the commune, or, if only one public school exists, in a neighbouring commune. For secondary schools the principal can request the DaSEN to reassign the pupil directly. A temporary suspension of up to five days may also be imposed during the procedure.

The decree obliges the receiving school to provide reinforced pedagogical, educational and social support for the transferred child until the end of the school year. Education Minister Edouard Geffray presented the measure as part of an effort to improve school climate. A ministry study cited four serious incidents per 1 000 primary pupils in 2024‑25, with 45 % involving verbal violence by families.