Hundreds of French high schools close as student protests continue
More than 400 out of France's 3,700 high schools were partially or totally closed on Monday morning, the education ministry said.
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PARIS: French high-school students on Monday (Oct 5) pressed on with a protest movement over learning conditions that has rocked the European nation since last week, with lessons disrupted at hundreds of schools.
Students trickled into some schools despite ongoing protests outside their gates, ahead of a day of larger demonstrations expected on Tuesday.
Since late September, pupils have barred the entrances to hundreds of schools, complaining of teacher absences, overloaded timetables, dilapidated classrooms and buildings ill-adapted to rising temperatures, among other grievances.
The teenage discontent has erupted with just months to go before elections next year to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron, with the far right eyeing its best chance yet at seizing power.
The government has sought to address the grievances, while accusing hard-left activists of having hijacked the protest movement.
More than 400 out of France's 3,700 high schools, known as lycees, were partially or totally closed on Monday morning, the education ministry said.
A third of the 468 lycees for teenagers aged 15 to 17 were to be closed in the Paris region, authorities predicted on Sunday.
In the capital's central third district on Monday morning, dozens of teenage students chanted in protest, as passing cars honked their horns in support, while others made their way into class.
"No means, no silence," read one cardboard sign outside the Turgot high school.
'NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS'
In the western city of Rennes, more than 20 pupils gathered outside the Montaigne lycee, one clutching a sign that read "Not enough teachers", but staff allowed other students into their classrooms.
In Bordeaux, in the southwest, some students returned to the classroom while others continued to demonstrate, in the heavy presence of riot police.
Some protesters outside the Gustave Eiffel high school fired fireworks in the direction of the police, who responded with some tear gas, but overall the situation remained calm, AFP reporters said.
In the northern city of Lille, masked protesters destroyed bus shelters or set fire to dustbins, as police fired tear gas towards demonstrators.
The movement started on Sep 17 at a high school in the Paris suburb of Creteil, in support of teachers striking over a lack of staff and resources.
It gained momentum and spread across France, at times spiralling into vandalism, including the destruction of bus shelters, the burning of school entrances and clashes between protesters and security forces.
Since the start of the movement, 24 schools had been "burned or ransacked", according to the education minister.
More than 5,000 people, 85 percent of them minors, have been arrested.
Protesters have also accused the police of using disproportionate force, and internal investigations have been opened into at least three instances of alleged police brutality.
'PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY'
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu set out a timetable on Sunday urging local authorities to prioritise filling gaps left by long-term teacher absences and unfilled posts.
He called a meeting for Tuesday with regional presidents to discuss overhauling the country's often-dilapidated school buildings.
The government is also hoping to pass through parliament a bill to make those who are responsible for damaging public property pay for repairs themselves, instead of drawing from taxpayer money.
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon defended the bill.
"When you have 14-, 15-, 16-year-olds who, at 9 am, are burning bus shelters or -- perhaps even more seriously -- the high school where they study, that raises the question of parental responsibility," she told Europe1/CNews broadcaster.
Lecornu has said the draft law, first presented before the protests, would allow these sums to be "taken from family allowances and housing benefits, while ensuring a minimum income is preserved".
The head of the main CGT labour union, Sophie Binet, slammed what she called a "populist announcement", which she said would "end up targeting the most vulnerable families".
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