French students protests privatization of universities

[mogster]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/nov2007/stud-n21.shtml

Students are protesting a new law on Liberties and Responsibilities of Universities (LRU). The new law would open the way for greater private investment in state universities, subordinating university organization more directly to the interests of big business. The main student unions, especially the National Union of Students of France (UNEF), which is close to the Socialist Party, are in favour of the law, albeit with demands for a larger education budget.

As of Friday, 43 universities were affected by strike action, of which 28 have been shut down. Last week, some 22,000 students participated in 33 general assemblies. The meeting in Tours voted a resolution which read in part: “We call on high school students to organise general assemblies everywhere, to prepare a strike beginning November 20. We will do everything to make the strike day of the 20, accompanied by workers in struggle, a success. We propose that students, rail workers, gas, electricity workers and the RATP (metro) organise together on November 21 to popularise their strike with transport users and the population.”

Photos:
http://thibautcho.free.fr/FFSF/?album=_La_LRU_on_s_en_fout_work_in_progress
http://contre-faits.org/spip.php?article57