French high school students protest inequality in Paris suburbs and beyond

Students across France, sparked by protests in Paris' deprived suburbs, have demonstrated against dilapidated schools, overcrowding, and teacher shortages, leading to over 5,000 arrests and police use of tear gas. The movement, involving more than 1,200 high schools, highlights severe conditions in areas like Seine-Saint-Denis, where two-thirds of schools have unfilled teacher positions. Protesters demand equal resources, citing canceled classes and unsanitary facilities, while the government defends its below-inflation education budget increase. The protests have become a political flashpoint amid unpopular spending cuts announced for 2027. France's average secondary school spending per student has stagnated over a decade, and the last comparable protest movement occurred in the 1990s, which won funding increases that later plateaued.