Letter to the editor. Answer: French students fight for an equal school

It is clear that you are upset about something that you have not understood properly, Staffan Eriksson. The French students demonstrate because they demand a better functioning school.

They require very basic things such as:

● Teacher-led lessons.

● That all classrooms should have the same number of chairs and benches as the number of students in the classroom

● That there must be school materials for all students.

● That the school building must be fresh and functional, for example not having problems with rats and cockroaches, have a roof that does not leak, have functioning toilets, be warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer. Many students report that they need to wear outdoor clothing in the winter and during the summer they had tests in classrooms that were over 40 degrees

● They want a more equal school, where even those who attend state schools are offered a good education.

● Shorter school days. French students can start the day at 8am and not finish until 6pm (the longest school days in Europe).

For me, it is scandalous to hear that students in a rich country like France are referred to schools where every tenth lesson is canceled due to staff shortages, that the classrooms are so overcrowded that there are no chairs for all the students, that there is a lack of school supplies, functioning toilets, is full of rats and that the roof leaks.

And as usual, it is children and young people in socio-economically vulnerable areas who have it worst. It is unworthy of a rich society not to give all children and young people the same chance for basic education. As a society, we lose a lot by sentencing children and young people who come from socio-economically weak areas. Something I also regard as unethical and immoral.

The demonstrations have been largely peaceful, but in some cases they have degenerated. The blame for that must probably also fall on the police, who used excessive force against at least 215 students, who were seriously injured. The really serious injuries caused by the police include a 14-year-old who had a broken jaw and knocked out teeth when a policeman fired a grenade at very close range, a 15-year-old who had his hand blown off and a 16-year-old who lost his right eye.

There have been cases of police infiltrating school demonstrations and causing unrest themselves, as acknowledged by France's public prosecutor's office. The United Nations has expressed concern about disproportionate police violence.

In a strong democracy, citizens have both the right to demonstrate and to demand a functioning school for all.

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