French schools shut after violent student protests

Hundreds of French schools will be fully or partially closed on Monday following violent student demonstrations, Education Minister Édouard Geffray announced on Sunday, citing safety risks to staff and students. Between 400 and 500 schools will remain closed, with 78 school employees injured in the protests and 24 schools vandalized or burned. Geffray stated that activists had infiltrated the student movement, leading to clashes with police. The protests began at a Paris school on September 17, spreading nationwide last week over long school days, high teacher absenteeism, and a lack of textbooks. Similar closures occurred on Friday, with teaching expected to resume gradually.