Beneath a wave of school protests in France lies a more existential worry: the future prospects of an entire generation.

The Protests

During three weeks of blockades and marches, students have expressed their frustrations over chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classes, and crumbling buildings. Some of the slogans seen include:

  • “Pas d’avenir, pas de calme” (No future, no calm).
  • “Diplômés aujourd’hui, précaires demain” (Graduates today, insecure tomorrow).
  • “Vous détruisez notre futur, on bloque votre présent” (You destroy our future, we block your present).
  • “Nos lycées tombent en ruines, comme nos espoirs” (Our schools, like our hopes, are falling into ruin).
  • “On n’est pas mal éduqués, on n’est pas écoutés” (We’re not badly brought up, we’re just not being listened to).

The protests, which continued this week with more than 160,000 people on the streets on Tuesday, reflect a deeper concern about the future. This generation fears a future filled with poorly paid, unstable jobs, unaffordable living costs, and decaying public infrastructure.

Context of the Protests

In Seine-Saint-Denis, a low-income area in the north of Paris, students have shown reporters pictures of broken chairs, holes in walls, leaking ceilings, and defective audiovisual equipment. Some have gone months without key teachers, leading to widespread discontent.