Protests over teacher shortages and deteriorating conditions have spread through French high schools for 10 days, beginning in Val-de-Marne near Paris.
The movement, with students demonstrating against staff shortages, overcrowding and crumbling buildings, began at several high schools in the Paris region before spreading to other parts of the country.
On Tuesday, about 400 schools were affected by protests or disruptions, according to the Education Ministry. Around 40 high schools were blocked, while attempts to block another 44 were reported. Mobilizations were reported in Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Bordeaux, Marseille and Lyon.
In schools in the Paris suburbs, students are raising concrete concerns, including classes of more than 30 students, unfilled teaching positions, heavy schedules and aging buildings.
Some also complain about classrooms that become difficult to tolerate during periods of extreme heat. Students say their criticism is primarily focused on their learning conditions and the way the national education system is run.
In Seine-Saint-Denis, a low-income department in the northern suburbs of Paris, LFI Mayor Bally Bagayoko joined a protest involving hundreds of students at Lycee Paul-Eluard, he described the protests as "completely legitimate" and said low-income areas received fewer resources than wealthier ones.
The movement's expansion has been particularly visible in the Isere region in Lyon, where several hundred high school students mobilized Wednesday morning at schools across the area.
Blockades and rallies were reported in the Grenoble metropolitan area and in northern Isere. In Grenoble, one gathering drew about 250 students, while smaller groups organized blockades early in the morning.
The demands echoed those heard in the Paris region: A shortage of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, difficult material conditions and concerns about students' educational paths and future prospects.
Some students also cited heavy schedules and growing pressure over their academic future. The movement reflects concerns that extend beyond the circumstances of individual schools.
The demonstrations have not all unfolded in the same way. Most have focused on school-related demands, but some blockades have been accompanied by incidents on the margins of the protests.
In the Grenoble area, trash bins were set on fire, while projectiles and fireworks mortars were reported during confrontations with police. The incidents led to police interventions and several arrests, while other demonstrations continued without major incidents.
Authorities say students' right to demonstrate must be respected while calling for an end to vandalism and confrontations. Student organizations, for their part, emphasize the primarily education-related nature of the movement and are calling for continued action over funding and resources for the national education system.
The movement is taking place alongside a nationwide public-sector strike, which included teachers and other government employees. In several cities, high school students joined demonstrations after organizing blockades outside their schools.
