Escalation: Education Ministry closes 400 secondary schools

Authorities closed about 400 of France's 3,700 secondary schools on 2 October. Many schools switched to online classes. Students blocked entrances, lit fires outside campuses and clashed with police as the protests spread nationwide.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray urged parents to keep teenagers away from the blockades. "Children are in danger on the streets," he said. Authorities also warned families could be billed for damage caused during the unrest.

Students are protesting staff shortages, long school hours and inadequate, overheated classrooms. The movement began in the Paris area, with timelines ranging from last week to last month, before spreading across France. The closures halted in-person teaching at roughly one in nine secondary schools.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources