Why more than 250,000 people have joined student-led protests in France
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people → join → France
What we know so far about the protests — and how they became so widespread
France has been thrown into crisis as student-led protests erupted across the nation, calling for better conditions for learning and for the government to address a decade-long staffing shortage.
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government → know → shortage
Protests began at a Paris-region high school in mid-September, soon growing into a nationwide movement.
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Protests → begin → movement
More than 250,000 people took to the streets on Tuesday, including 56,000 in Paris, the Interior Ministry said, in the demonstration's biggest day yet.
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Ministry → take → day
(Organizers put the number higher, at 450,000.)
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Organizers → put → 450,000
The rallies have led to widespread school disruptions, arrests and violence, with police deploying tear gas and other riot-control weapons against crowds of mainly teenagers — angering their parents and teachers and prompting them to participate.
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police → lead → them
It represents the latest test for outgoing President Emmanuel Macron.
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It → represent → Macron
His prime minister Sébastien Lecornu addressed the nation on Wednesday night, pledging to introduce new measures by the end of the month.
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minister → address → month
A platform for students to voice grievances, launched on Tuesday, has already received some 40,000 submissions.
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students → voice → submissions
Here's a look at what we know so far about the protests — and how they became so widespread.
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they → know → protests
Protesters hold a banner reading 'Rostand angry, Rostand supportive' during the protest in Caen, France, on Oct. 6.
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Rostand → hold → Oct.
Why are they protesting?
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they → protest → ?
Many high school students say the state of their learning environment is poor, from decaying infrastructure to a lack of personnel.
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state → say → personnel
More than half of all schools are short-staffed this year, according to a survey conducted by a secondary school teachers’ union.
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half → staff → union
The shortage has affected public education in France for close to a decade.
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shortage → affect → decade
The chronic failure to replace absent teachers or hire substitutes means students can miss hundreds of hours of instruction.
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students → replace → instruction
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They are fed up with overcrowded classrooms, as well, which have increased to an average of 25 to 30 students a class.
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which → show → students
Students also describe dilapidated buildings, pest infestations — including cockroaches and rats — and uninsulated classrooms severely affected by temperature shifts, particularly during recent heat waves.
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Students → describe → waves
“In the summer, it's 35 degrees,” said Rudy Cuvilliez, who studies in the Paris suburb of Pantin.
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who → say → Pantin
Rudy Cuvilliez, who studies in the Paris suburb of Pantin, holds up canisters from tear gas he says police fired earlier in the day on Oct. 6.
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police → study → Oct.
Students and their supporters have taken to the streets for weeks because they feel the government is doing too little, too late.
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government → take → little
The Education Ministry will receive an additional €1.2 billion in funding next year, but it will not be enough, according to opposition parties, who say the amount barely keeps up with inflation.
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amount → receive → inflation
The French state spends more on education than on any other ministry, but it has not kept up with a sharp increase in the youth population, expected to peak in 2028.
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it → spend → 2028
The movement originated in the suburbs of the greater Paris region — areas historically underserved and facing significant growth.
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movement → originate → growth
There are considerable regional disparities, with Île-de-France spending less than any other region in the country.
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France → be → country
Schools in higher-income areas benefit from parents’ contributions, while those in underprivileged areas often lack resources.
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those → benefit → resources
Meanwhile, administrative and contracting procedures can be complex, meaning that even repairs that have been financed can take a long time to carry out.
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that → mean → time
As for personnel, teachers are not valued as they once were — entry-level salaries were more than double minimum wage in 1980; now, they are only just above the minimum.
“The government has not really made an effort to make the profession attractive," said Agnès Van Zanten, a senior research professor emeritus at France’s National Centre for Scientific Research, "such as by raising salaries, for instance.
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Zanten → value → instance
What do the students want?
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students → want → What
Many want to see large-scale recruitment of teachers, school nurses and teaching assistants.
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Many → want → teachers
Students, particularly in the banlieues, or economically deprived suburbs, call for urgent repairs and renovations to school buildings.
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Students → call → buildings
Recent educational reforms have resulted in longer school days, often extending from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., which many find onerous.
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many → result → p.m.
But students should be careful what they wish for: The French school day is so long in part to compensate for lengthy school vacations — some 16 weeks compared to the European average of 14.
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day → wish → 14
Shortening school days may mean fewer holidays.
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Shortening → shorten → holidays
A protester in Paris holds a sign that says, 'Is the revolution reserved for history classes?' in French on Oct. 6.
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revolution → hold → Oct.
What keeps other students awake at night is “Parcoursup,” a national web platform where high schoolers can secure a place in a higher education institution.
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schoolers → keep → institution
Students can list up to 10 schools of preference, with their marks and test results included in their applications.
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marks → list → applications
How they are assessed, however, is a bit of a mystery, with critics calling for the repeal or overhaul of the process.
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critics → assess → process
It was among the topics raised by students meeting with the national education minister last week, but they reached no agreement, and school blockades resumed.
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blockades → raise → agreement
Wracked by weeks of student protests and an increasingly broad base of support, the French government is now trying to rush through a number of reforms.
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government → wrack → reforms
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia
