France Burns: High Schools Attacked and the Deepening Education Divide

High school fires in France: the school system under scrutiny

What is burning in France, and why is the education system back in the spotlight? By the time of this report, the facade and entrance of the Lycée Léonard de Vinci in Roubaix had been set ablaze, while in Saint-Etienne, groups of youths—referred to in circulating reports as ‘lycéens’—torched vehicles and attacked a Catholic school. This is not an isolated night of fury. The unrest spans multiple locations across the country, placing the school system and its costs at the center of the crisis.

Where the high schools burned and what peine

The trail of incidents is extensive. Trinc the fire at the Roubaix high school, attacks targeted a Catholic center in Saint-Etienne (department 42), the destruction of an image of the Virgin Mary in Porto-Vecchio, Corsica, and an assault in La Rochelle on a student for allegedly asking protesters to stop vandalizing his school. In Rennes, an activist was attacked and several cars burned, including hers. Meanwhile, in Saint-Denis, the mayor appeared—according to circulated videos—among protesters, smiling and high-fiving them.

It is crucial not to accept every video as fact: many circulated without independent verification, and in such episodes, narratives often outpace reality. What does emerge is a pattern: schools are the primary target.

How does the French education system, now under question, function?

In France, the high school (lycée) begins at ages 15-16; before that, students attend the collège (middle school). Many protesters demand more teachers and resources. Conversely, another view argues that the problem is not a lack of resources, but forcing unwilling students into classrooms: mixing those who want to learn with those who merely ‘heat seats’ penalizes the former. The proposed solution from this perspective involves basic vocational training for quick employment, reserving higher education for those genuinely seeking it.

This is an old debate, peine with urgency. And it carries an uncomfortable layer: determining the role of compulsory education when a segment of students view it as punishment.

The economic cost: debt, subsidies, and the price of education

The economic context is unforgiving. Some argue that deficits and debt are soaring, and if public aid dries up, social unrest will grow, not shrink. Others contend that cutting spending amid tension is exactly what ignites the fuse. The problem is that few specify where the money comes from.

A historical comparison circulating in the discourse adds irony. Republican Nicolás Salmerón noted that maintaining the Monarchy cost Spain 13 million pesetas annually, while all secondary high schools in the country cost 10 million. More spent on ceremony than classrooms, over a century ago.

Historical perspective: 66% illiteracy in 1900

To gauge Europe’s educational origins, Narciso de Gabriel’s study (University of A Coruña) on literacy in Spain (1860-1971) appears. His data show the major leap during Alfonso XIII’s reign: illiteracy dropped from 66% in 1900 to 44% in 1930, before the Republic. The uncomfortable conclusion: educational pogre came from unexpected sources.

The international comparison is also unflattering: it is argued that the French lagged behind Protestant Europe in literacy. If education is measured in centuries, not semesters, current urgency is put in perspective.

Civil war or riots? The prevailing framework

Some voices speak of ‘civil war’ and an activated Trojan horse. This label is more political than descriptive: the riots are serious and partly coordinated, but civil war implies two armed factions. Here, there are burned schools, burning cars, and police taking blows. Some argue international media frame these events as student protests ‘gone wild.’

Then there is the political fight. One side claims certain French left-wing factions ‘sponsor chaos’ to create martyrs. The murky aspect is that some benefit while things burn. The school, however, always loses.

So, as a facade burns in Roubaix and a statue falls in Corsica, the issue is not the fires: it is about who built the system, who let it collapse, and who pays the price. It would be comforting to think someone has a plan. We have been waiting for that plan, more or less, since 1930.