SUMMARY
Protests are continuing in France after more than 250,000 people took to the streets across the country to demand education reforms. Demonstrations began in mid-September, fueled by frustrations over classroom sizes and poor building conditions. Special correspondent William Denselow reports from Paris.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What do you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. See the Google doc above for discussion questions.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- How many people protested in France on October 6, 2026?
- When did these protests start?
- How many arrests have been made, according to this segment?
- Why are students, faculty, parents and trade/labor unions protesting?
- What is the current public debt of France?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- How do you think this series of events influence France's upcoming election in April?
- Do you think similar issues and tensions exist in the United States? Or are France and the United States too different for these protests to reflect conflict around education here as well?
Media literacy: Do you think student protests in the U.S. get the same level of media coverage as student protests in France? Do you think they're covered differently, and if so, how?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Read ABC's latest article about the Mayor of Saint-Denis who got tear-gassed while shielding his students, and answer the following questions:
- Why is Mayor Bally Bagayoko out on the front lines of these intense protests?
- Mayor Bagayoko says, "The state allocates fewer resources for working-class neighborhoods than the affluent Parisian neighborhoods...That is an incontestable reality." After reflecting on both readings, does this information add a new layer to the story? Why are these protests continuing despite the dangers that come with it?
Written by PBS News Hour Classroom's Intern Sophia Sharaa with editing from News Hour Classroom's Luke Gerwe
Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter with Daily News Lessons and community events.
To provide feedback on News Hour Classroom's resources, including this lesson, click here.
