The principal and several teachers at a private Catholic school in the south of France have been released after a group of parents held them hostage overnight because they wanted a trainee teacher fired.

Late Wednesday morning, the group of 15 dissatisfied parents released the principal and teachers they had held captive for about 17 hours after the local diocese agreed to replace the teacher in question, France Soir reported.

The parents claimed the teacher lacked authority, posed security problems and was behind in instructing the curriculum.

Parents of children in the CM1 class at Notre Dame de Caderot in the village of Berre l'Etang were happy that their occupation of the school led to the teacher being replaced.

"We are relieved and hope that calm will return to the class and to the institution," Elisabeth Planes, one of the parents, told reporters.

Teachers' unions denounced the parents' actions as "cavalier," France Soir reported.