'Fundamental demand': Saint-Denis students seek same opportunity as those in 'more privileged areas'

Erin Ogunkeye is pleased to welcome a high school teacher who agreed to speak with us anonymously as protests intensify at a high school in a northern Paris suburb.

The protests are shining a cruel light on major problems that have existed for years. All the while, police are cracking down on students, using teargas and strongarm tactics as students blockade entrances.

For this high school teacher, the protests reflect concerns about everyday conditions in which students are expected to learn. Their demands are not abstract political claims.

They are asking for an environment that allows them to learn effectively.