PA
Angry parents have taken a headmistress hostage because they are so annoyed at falling standards.
Fifteen parents stormed the school and barricaded themselves in with the head, two teachers and two secretaries.
They demanded improvements are made and that a "tyrant" teacher is fired. Police raced into the Roman Catholic Notre-Dame de Caderot school in Marseilles, France, on Tuesday night when the extraordinary occupation began.
"We want one of the teachers fired because he's not up to standard," said one of the siege parents.
"More generally, we want to see a huge improvement in standards, because at the moment our children are not getting a good enough education.
"We have taken a few hostages, but our children have been held hostage at this school for months. The teacher concerned is a tyrant – he treats are pupils abominably. He rants and raves at our kids, causing them psychological problems."
Christophe Planes, another parent, said: "We are very worried that the pupils are falling behind in school. We think our children are in danger. That's why we have decided to hold the headmistress and a couple of teachers hostage. We want things to change."
Headmistress Christine Courtot said via mobile phone: "We had a meeting with parents to discuss their concerns, and then they decided to kidnap me with two teachers."
The teacher at the centre of the furore is a male trainee, in charge of pupils aged nine and 10. The school said they had agreed to transfer the teacher, but the parents demanded proof.
What do you think?
What lenghts would you go to to make sure your child's school is up to scratch?