French school protests resume on small scale as students return from break

French high school protests resumed on a much smaller scale after a two-week holiday break, with 41 schools blocked on Monday—about 1 percent of the country’s 3,700 high schools. Students attempted blockades in Paris, Marseille and Rennes. Education Minister Edouard Geffray called the phenomenon marginal and said protests were permitted, but preventing access to schools was illegal. Students are seeking renovated schools, more teachers and more university places; the government has announced measures including 4 billion euros for school renovations and 15,000 additional higher-education places.