Hundreds of French high schools disrupted ahead of Tuesday's 'Act III' protests

Hundreds of French high schools will remain disrupted Monday, with classes suspended in 400 to 500 of the country's 3,700 establishments due to safety concerns, according to Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Over a third of high schools in the Paris region will be closed. The student movement, which began in mid-September, demands more resources for schools, denouncing unsanitary buildings, overcrowded classes, and inequalities from the Parcoursup admissions system. The government reports 5,000 arrests, 24 establishments damaged, and 78 education staff injured, while the executive views the protests as having shifted toward "urban violence." The Lycéenne union has promised an "Act III" on Tuesday, with calls for a "black week" of blockades circulating on social media. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has assigned ministers five workstreams to address grievances, with initial decisions expected by month's end, while unions and left-wing politicians accuse the government of disproportionate repression.