Authorities in Paris are investigating a widespread crisis of sexual abuse involving employees at several public schools, including a preschool where multiple allegations have come to light. The probe follows reports from parents, prosecutors, and a television documentary aired earlier this year that exposed misconduct in the capital’s education system.

The issue came to public attention in January when a father learned from his 3-year-old daughter that a school employee at her preschool, St.-Dominique, had sexually abused her. The father filed a police complaint, and subsequent inquiries revealed that dozens of parents from three schools in central Paris had accused school staff of abuse. Paris prosecutors confirmed 16 arrests of current or former school employees in May, including the man suspected of assaulting the child.

Since January, authorities have launched inquiries into 179 separate allegations of sexual abuse in Parisian schools. The city has suspended 74 after-school supervisors amid accusations of sexual violence, though most have yet to face trial. Two prosecutions have resulted in convictions for child sexual abuse. The employees involved are primarily part-time supervisors responsible for overseeing children outside regular classroom hours, such as during lunchtime, recess, and after-school programs. Teachers, who supervise separate activities, have not been implicated in these accusations.

Paris city officials acknowledge a failure to adequately screen and monitor personnel in these roles. The supervisors typically hold low-wage, part-time positions with limited training and oversight, complicating efforts to identify and prevent abuse. Approximately three-quarters of the 14,400 after-school supervisors in Paris are temporary employees with little relevant experience, according to a parliamentary report issued in October.

Authorities also face criticism for inadequate responses to early warning signs. One suspended supervisor reportedly was reassigned to another school without notifying parents, where further allegations subsequently surfaced. Another employee under investigation remained employed at St.-Dominique despite having faced prior abuse complaints filed by his own adult son. Both men are in temporary detention pending further legal proceedings and have denied wrongdoing through their lawyers.

The controversy has prompted a broader examination of child sexual abuse in France, where an independent committee estimated in 2023 that 160,000 children are abused annually. Government officials, including Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire and his predecessor Anne Hidalgo, have publicly expressed regret and admitted to collective failures in preventing such offenses. Investigations are ongoing into whether municipal authorities neglected their responsibilities.

While the lead prosecutor for child-related cases cautions against panic and false accusations, she emphasizes that specialized teams rigorously evaluate the validity of complaints. The crisis has also galvanized civil society, with regular protests demanding stronger measures to safeguard children in schools.

This unfolding scandal underscores long-standing structural challenges in France’s public education system, notably the reliance on poorly supervised, low-paid temporary staff for child supervision outside the classroom. Despite previous reports identifying systemic risks and recommending reforms, progress in implementing safeguards has been slow, with officials now pledging comprehensive changes to prevent future abuses.