Education staff in the Rhône département have called a strike and a demonstration for Tuesday 17 November, according to Lyon Mag. The call, which comes from an assembly of school personnel meeting with parent representatives, backs the high-school and university student movement that has affected Lyon in recent weeks.
What happened
Lyon Mag reports that the Rhône assemblée générale (general assembly) of Éducation personnel met with representatives of the FCPE, a major federation of parents’ associations, and of the collective Parents présents. Together they call on staff to strike and to march on Tuesday 17 November. In a communiqué (press statement) dated 10 November, they say they support the lycéens (high-school pupils) and students who have been mobilising.
The statement answers minister Geffray, who says that almost all lycées are running normally. The staff disagree. They describe repeated administrative closures, lessons taught at a distance (distanciel) and half-empty classes, which they say stop pupils from covering the curriculum properly. They also doubt that remote teaching works, and they believe it is used to prevent gatherings outside schools and assemblies inside them.
The assembly lists several demands, as reported by Lyon Mag:
- Admissions and funding: the abolition of Parcoursup, the national online platform for applying to higher education, and more places in higher education. They also want a multi-year lycée renovation plan worth several billion euros, and recruitment to replace absent staff.
- Class sizes: fewer than 30 pupils per class at every level, and fewer than 25 in lycées in working-class neighbourhoods (quartiers populaires).
- Pay: a 20% rise in the point d’indice, the index value that sets public-sector salaries. The communiqué says this would mean about 400 euros more at the start of a career for a certified teacher or a primary school teacher. They also ask for an immediate pay rise for precarious AESH (support staff for pupils with disabilities) and AED (school supervisors).
- Sanctions: an end to police presence outside lycées, and an end to what the text calls repression. They name searches by private security agents, threats, insults and arrests. They also oppose administrative sanctions and conseils de discipline (disciplinary hearings) aimed at pupils involved in blockades. In their place they want a total and immediate amnesty, and the removal of recorded absences from school reports and Parcoursup files.
- Exams: the staff reject what they call “chantage à l’examen” (exam blackmail). They want lighter syllabuses for the baccalauréat, the national high-school exam, in every subject that ends with a final test.
What it means for you
If you have a child in a lycée in Lyon or elsewhere in the Rhône, expect possible disruption on Tuesday 17 November. Lyon Mag does not say which schools will be affected, how many staff will strike, or what time the march will start or where it will go. Check the school’s online portal, usually Pronote or the ENT (the school’s digital workspace), and any messages from the administration. Ask the school directly whether classes will run and whether supervision will be provided.
Recent weeks show how unsettled things have been. Lyon Mag’s earlier headlines, listed with this article, mention 14 lycées in distanciel on Monday 9 November, 23 lycées affected on 3 November, and a calm march in Lyon on 10 November that disrupted several TCL lines. TCL is the Lyon public transport network. The article does not say whether public transport will be affected on 17 November. If you plan to travel through the city centre that day, check the TCL website or app for alerts beforehand.
Parents of pupils facing absences or disciplinary action should note that the removal of absences from school records is one of the demands. It is a demand only, and nothing in the article says it has been granted. If your child has a conseil de discipline pending, speak to the school and, if you wish, to a parents’ association such as the FCPE.
Anyone working in a school, including AESH and AED staff, should ask their union or employer about strike notice and how a strike day affects pay. The source does not cover these practical points.
What to watch next
Lyon Mag reports that the march on 17 November is to be followed by a further assemblée générale, held after the procession. Its purpose is to decide what happens next in the movement, together with lycéens, students and other sectors that are mobilised. Further strike days or actions could follow, though nothing has been announced. Also watch for any response from the ministry to the communiqué, and for updates on how many lycées are working in distanciel.
Source: Lyon Mag
Sources
- Lyon Mag: Dans le Rhône, les personnels de l’Éducation appellent à la grève le 17 novembre, accessed 12 November 2026
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