Around 1,000 French high schools experienced student protests on Thursday, with significant activity in Seine-St.-Denis, a working-class suburb north of Paris. Students gathered at Rosa Parks High School and other institutions to denounce overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating facilities, and frequent teacher absences. The protests reflect broader frustrations over educational inequities in the region.
At Rosa Parks High School, approximately 100 students assembled in the street, displaying banners with slogans such as “We’re skipping lessons so we can teach you one” and chanting demands for improved conditions. The school, which serves a population with one of the highest immigrant concentrations in France, has been a focal point of these demonstrations. Several police officers were present but largely refrained from intervention.
Seine-St.-Denis faces considerable social challenges. A 2023 parliamentary report highlighted that its poverty rate is twice the national average, with students performing below national benchmarks on middle school entrance exams. Additionally, high rates of teacher absenteeism and a predominance of inexperienced staff were identified. Issam Makhloufi, a 15-year-old student at Rosa Parks, described classrooms as poorly ventilated and overcrowded, sentiments echoed by many local students and educators alike.
The protests have evolved rapidly over the past week, spreading nationwide with more than 220 schools blockaded as of Thursday, according to the French Interior Ministry. The unrest has sometimes escalated into violent episodes, including the use of mortar-style fireworks, property damage, and looting, leading to 3,000 arrests and hundreds of injuries among police officers, school staff, and students.
Authorities have expressed concern about the escalation and attributed some of the unrest to political agitation by the far-left party France Unbowed. The Interior Ministry accused the party of leveraging the protests for electoral advantage ahead of the presidential election scheduled in eight months. The leading far-left candidate, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, currently polls closely with centrist candidate Édouard Philippe, although both trail far-right contender Marine Le Pen. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called on political figures to prioritize protecting youth and discouraging exploitation of their grievances.
France Unbowed has rejected these allegations. Bally Bagayoko, the party’s emerging figure and recently elected mayor of St.-Denis, actively participated in the protests at Rosa Parks High School. Bagayoko acknowledged occasional incidents of violence but attributed the unrest to systemic underfunding of education resources. He emphasized efforts to maintain order during demonstrations and stressed his commitment to preventing harm to students.
Protesters have adopted slogans tapping into France’s historic tradition of public dissent, referencing the 1968 student protests and criticizing perceived police repression. At Lycée Suger and other schools, students reported severe overcrowding, damaged facilities, and a lack of sufficient teaching staff. Two 17-year-old students described classrooms doubling or tripling their intended capacity and facilities in poor repair, especially during extreme weather conditions.
Parents expressed mixed reactions to the protests. Some were surprised to see younger generations, often associated with social media use, actively engaged in street demonstrations. Others viewed the movement as a broader demand for dignity and representation among populations who feel marginalized.
The French Ministry of Education did not respond to requests for comment on specific allegations but announced plans to launch an online platform allowing students to express their concerns.
As protests persist, they highlight enduring disparities in the French education system, particularly in under-resourced suburban areas like Seine-St.-Denis, underscoring tensions between students, authorities, and political actors in a pre-election climate.