Student protests spark debate over youth agency and educational needs

Recent student protests in Greece and France have highlighted growing tensions between youth activists and societal institutions. In Greece, demonstrators are calling for fundamental improvements to the public education system, including safer school buildings, addressing teacher shortages, and providing modern infrastructure. Advocates argue that the current system relies on outdated pedagogical methods and places an undue financial burden on families through private tutoring.

In France, student demonstrations have brought the concept of ‘childism’ to the forefront of public discourse. Sociologist and child psychiatrist Laelia Benoit argues that adult society often dismisses adolescent voices by claiming they are manipulated by political parties or social media. This tendency to undervalue the autonomous political thought of young people is seen as a form of age-based discrimination that prevents meaningful dialogue regarding the decisions that affect their futures.