French students return to classrooms as government deploys teachers after nationwide protests
publishers 77articles 142first reported 28 Sep, 14:12 UTCdeveloping since 28 Sep · 35 editions
French students were largely back in classrooms on Friday after weeks of demonstrations over teacher shortages, overcrowded timetables and deteriorating school buildings, though organisers called for further protests next week.
The Education Ministry said 141 of France’s 3,700 high schools were closed on Friday, down from about 800 a week earlier. Tens of thousands of students, teachers and supporters have joined protests across the country, with blockades and marches occurring in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lille, Rennes and Nantes.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced that about 3,000 substitute teachers would be sent in the coming days to 114 of the worst-affected schools. He said inefficient assignment processes had left those teachers without students and that the government would also recruit several hundred additional teachers. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has promised further measures by the end of October.
The protests have been accompanied by clashes, vandalism and accusations of excessive police force. Police have used tear gas, batons and crowd-control weapons, while some demonstrators have set fires and thrown projectiles. The Justice Ministry said more than 6,800 people had been detained since the demonstrations began, 86% of them minors. Police have opened 18 internal misconduct investigations.
The government suspended police use of stun grenades after a 15-year-old lost a hand on Monday. On Friday, the UN Human Rights Agency said it was following the violence “with concern” and urged all sides to remain peaceful.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 204 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 77
- Source articles
- 142
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 204 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
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