Why French students are taking to the streets?

Images coming out of France’s high school protests are disturbing: burning bins, tear gas, riot police outside schools and teenagers being arrested. But behind the disorder is a question that risks being lost amid the dramatic footage: why are so many French teenagers angry enough to protest in the first place?
The movement began around September 21 and quickly spread from the Paris suburbs across the country. By October 1, more than 1,000 high schools, nearly one in four nationwide, had been affected by protests, strikes, or other actions, according to the Education Ministry. Around 400 schools were expected to remain closed the following day. What started as local frustration had become a national movement.
The students’ complaints are not difficult to understand. They have spoken about overcrowded classrooms, teachers who are absent and not replaced, deteriorating school buildings and exhausting schedules. Students have also criticised the stress surrounding Parcoursup, the platform used to apply for higher education. Their request is simple: they want more resources and better conditions in which to learn.
Instead, much of the conversation has shifted towards violence. Some protesters have thrown projectiles, set fires and damaged schools and other property. In Nantes, part of Lycée Nelson-Mandela was destroyed by fire, while the government said around 100 schools had suffered serious damage. But the actions of some protesters should not remove scrutiny from the police response, particularly when those facing officers are children.
One of the most troubling cases involved a 14-year-old boy in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône who was struck in the face by a police projectile. According to his lawyer, he suffered a double fracture of the jaw and numerous broken teeth. Video of the incident circulated widely, and France’s Defender of Rights opened an investigation. The IGPN, the police internal-affairs inspectorate, has also been referred to several cases connected to the protests.
Another student was reportedly injured in the eye in Tours. By October 2, Education Minister Édouard Geffray said around 160 students had been injured, although not all of those injuries were attributed to police. Police officers, teachers and other education staff have also been hurt during the unrest.
Amnesty International France has raised concerns about what it describes as excessive force, citing the use of tear gas, grenades and police detention during school blockades. The organisation has also acknowledged violence by some protesters. The government argues that the situation has changed dramatically as the demonstrations have expanded. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described some of the unrest as “urban violence”, while riot police and mobile gendarmes have been deployed as authorities attempt to regain control.
The government has legitimate reasons to protect schools, students, teachers and public property. Police should not be expected to stand by while buildings burn or officers are attacked. But maintaining order and respecting the rights of young protesters are not opposing objectives. France should also be careful about allowing violence to become an excuse to ignore the grievances that produced the movement.
When teenagers complain about missing teachers, overcrowded classrooms, crumbling buildings and anxiety about their educational futures, the answer cannot simply be more riot police outside school gates. If hundreds of schools are being disrupted and thousands of teenagers are taking to the streets, something deeper is happening.
France’s students are asking to be educated in schools that function properly and to feel that their concerns about their futures matter. The government should listen to them before another school entrance becomes a confrontation between teenagers and riot police.
Protesting has long been deeply rooted in French political culture. From the French Revolution to nationwide strikes and the Yellow Vest movement, taking to the streets has remained a powerful way for citizens to express dissatisfaction. Workers, students and activists regularly use demonstrations to challenge government policies, defend their rights and demand change, making protest a familiar part of French democracy.