Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joined student protesters outside a blockaded high school in the Paris suburbs on Tuesday as France faced another day of nationwide demonstrations over worsening school conditions.
The protests, which began in mid-September, have spread to hundreds of schools across France. Students are demanding action over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings, difficult timetables and inadequate resources. The movement has also attracted support from teachers’ unions and other groups.
Tuesday’s demonstrations marked another major mobilisation, with rallies planned in Paris and other cities. The unrest has increasingly been accompanied by clashes between protesters and police, including the use of tear gas and other crowd-control measures. French authorities have also reported vandalism, fires and attacks on education staff at some locations, while investigations have been opened into allegations of excessive force by police.
Students say the problems go beyond staffing. Many have complained about classrooms that are too crowded, buildings in poor condition, inadequate ventilation and excessive heat, as well as long and demanding school schedules. A government consultation involving tens of thousands of responses found school timetables among the most frequently cited concerns.
The government has announced measures including additional substitute teachers and other steps aimed at addressing staffing and school-condition concerns. Student representatives, however, have continued to argue that the response does not go far enough. Earlier demonstrations attracted hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and parents across the country.
The protests have also created significant disruption to classes, with hundreds of schools affected by blockades or closures. French authorities are under growing pressure to address students’ concerns while preventing further violence and restoring normal teaching.
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Thunberg’s appearance added international attention to a movement that began as a campaign over education conditions but has evolved into one of France’s most significant youth-led protest movements in recent weeks.
