Jérôme Pernoo against the Paris Conservatoire, end of the third act.
The Paris administrative court on Wednesday (June 22) suspended the dismissal by the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Paris (CNSMDP) of the musician and cello teacher accused of sexual assault by two former students, including a minor at the time. facts.
After two first suspensions of four months in the spring and then in the fall of 2021, Jérôme Pernoo had been the subject of a third layoff in December, followed in May by a dismissal procedure without notice or compensation.
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“The nightmare is over
,” reacted Jérôme Pernoo to France Musique on Wednesday.
All my students wanted me back and did not understand these accusations.
They have also formed with a lawyer, who pleaded for my return at the time of the hearing.
The CNSMDP deplored the court's decision and plans
“to exercise the necessary remedies against the suspension of the dismissal”
.
The Parisian institution also called for the case to be dealt
with “as soon as possible”
.
Three suspensions, two internal investigations
The soap opera, which opposes the cellist to the CNSMDP, has been stretching for more than a year.
Informed in March 2021 of two reports of sexual assault targeting Jérôme Pernoo, under contract with the establishment since 2007, the Paris Conservatory notified the Paris prosecutor's office, which then opened a preliminary investigation for sexual assault on a minor.
The Conservatoire also launched an internal investigation, entrusted to the Egaé group, founded by Caroline De Haas and Pauline Chabbert.
Summoned in June 2021 before an advisory commission to the Ministry of Culture, the musician had received a one-year suspension decided by the management of the CNSMDP.
This disciplinary sanction was quashed on December 7 by the administrative court of Paris, because of
"the irregularity of the composition of the disciplinary council"
of the CNSMDP and the
"lack of impartiality of the administrative investigation"
carried out by the group Egae.
Reinstated, then again suspended the same month by the establishment, the cellist was the subject of a second internal investigation, entrusted this time to a new firm.
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This new investigation did not make it possible to prove the alleged attacks.
She nevertheless highlighted
"in an objective and impartial manner behaviors that are perfectly incompatible with (the) function of teacher",
said the Conservatory.
The dismissal procedure initiated five months later was thus deemed abusive by the urgent applications judge of the Paris administrative court, for the same reasons advanced in December, namely
"a serious doubt as to (the) legality (of the decision) in the light of its disproportionate nature"
.
The CNSMDP's disputes with the cello teacher were made public on June 8, 2021 by a Mediapart investigation.
Jérôme Pernoo, 50, would have had
"regular physical contact with his students which goes beyond the gestures necessary for learning the cello, such as in particular kisses and frequent hugs
", in the words of the Paris administrative court.
The presumed facts, to which are added
"comments with a sexual connotation, in particular in the form of contrepèteries"
, would date from 2005, for one of the alleged victims, and from 2009 to 2013 for the second.
The teacher, who denies all the accusations, is supported by some of his students and parents of students.
Meanwhile, the preliminary investigation of the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office continues in the shadows, far from the conflictual waltz between the CNSMDP and the cellist.
