French lesbian school principal commits suicide after prolonged campaign of homophobic harassment

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A French school principal has died by suicide after enduring a prolonged campaign of homophobic harassment, sparking outrage and calls for institutional accountability across the education sector.

Caroline Grandjean, 42, jumped to her death from a cliff near Anglards-de-Salers in the Cantal region on 1 September - the first day of the new school term. She had contacted France’s national suicide prevention helpline just hours before the fatal act.

Grandjean, who led a nursery school in the small village of Moussages, had been subjected to repeated abuse since late 2023. The harassment began when graffiti reading “dirty dyke” was found on school property. Despite filing five formal complaints and an investigation being launched, the abuse escalated. Further slurs and death threats appeared, including “dyke = paedophile” and “Go die, you dirty dyke”.

Although Grandjean was not publicly open about her sexuality, it is believed that someone in the village discovered she was married to a woman, triggering the hate campaign. She reportedly felt unsupported by both her school administration and the local town hall, which allegedly prioritised avoiding negative publicity over protecting her.

In 2024, the harassment forced Grandjean to step away from her teaching duties. Attempts to reassign her were met with resistance, and she was later encouraged to change roles entirely. Her final act - on the symbolic first day of term - has been interpreted by colleagues and activists as a powerful indictment of the institutional failures that contributed to her despair.

French education unions have now demanded an administrative inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death. The Ministry of National Education expressed its condolences, stating it was “deeply affected” by the tragedy and acknowledging the “deep emotion within the educational community”.

Grandjean’s story had previously been documented in a short comic by French author Remedium, who expressed shock at her death and criticised the lack of meaningful intervention.

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