French high school protests expose pension spending outpacing education funds

The ongoing high school student mobilization cannot be reduced to political manipulation, as the movement reflects genuine grievances about teacher absences, poor scheduling, and inadequate facilities. However, resolving the crisis is not solely a matter of financial means. The absurdity lies in the fact that pension expenditures have grown faster than those allocated to education. While far-left groups and teacher unions are exploiting the protests, the students' complaints about un-replaced absent teachers and poorly insulated buildings are legitimate and grounded in reality. The movement, active for a week, may connect with a return of "yellow vests" protests starting October 17. Despite the political exploitation, the underlying issues of high school organization and infrastructure cannot be dismissed.