The students at the Universite' de Limoges have gone on strike. (ETUDIANTS MOBILISES!)
Last week, things started getting heated up with the students at school. They blocked all of the entrances to the university so that when you entered, you were forced to take a flier about their cause. Basically, they're angry that the new French president, Nicholas Sarkozy, wants to reform higher education. He'd like to make universities independent, which would give them the right to raise tuition, be more selective, and take private donations.
Students don't want to see this happen. They think it will limit some students' access to higher education. Students in universities across France have started to protest and several have gone on strike already. In fact, I was in Paris last weekend and saw quite a few police cars lined up, as if ready to quell any big protests. (Although admittedly, they could've been there for another reason, I didn't stop to ask them what was going on!)
The students at my school held a meeting last week to discuss a possible blockage. Today, they held another meeting at 12:30 and at 2pm they voted to strike 250 to 100. During my 2:00 course today, someone pulled the fire alarm, forcing everyone out of the building. Although we went back in so that we could finish 2 presentations, it was obvious that no students would be attending classes after that. I had another class to teach at 4 and only one student came. Soon after, a student came to our office to tell us that we should leave because they'd be blocking the doors. They don't want anyone, teachers or students, getting inside the building. They were actually using furniture to block entrances. No work for anyone!
As of now, we're on strike until they have another vote, which is on Thursday at noon. If they decide to come back, then classes will start again at that point. If they decide to continue their strike, we could be out indefinitely. Apparently the last time that the students did this, it lasted for 6 weeks!
Either way, I'm on vacation for the next few days!
No comments:
Post a Comment