ISR / Youth Against the War: A guide to action:

  • Call a meeting of all students excluded or threatened.

Getting everyone together is the first and most important thing.

  • Pass round a piece of paper for everyone to write down what has happened to them, with their name and phone number and any other useful information.

Now you know what exactly has happened, you should copy down all details, keep a copy safe.

  • Use the petition we’ve produced (if you’ve not got copies, contact us) in support of students to get more support and let other students and the local community know what’s happening.
  • Organise a meeting with the Head. It may be better to have two students to attend. Ask to have your chance to explain why you went on strike against the war and that the disciplinary action be immediately lifted.
  • Talk to your parents and the parents of other students punished. If they support you, get them to complain to the school, if possible go in to speak to the Head, and write a letter of complaint.
  • Find out when the School Governors’ next meeting is. If it’s soon, get as many students together as you can, and go to the governors’ meeting. Elect someone to speak to them, and demand the same things you did with the Head.

Do any of your teachers agree with you or support you? If they do, ask them what they can do, and ask them who is the trade union rep (the person who represents teachers as workers for the Head). The rep will be a teacher. Unless you know the rep is against you, then go and see them, explain what has happened, and ask them to support you.

If this does not work then the campaign needs to be stepped up.

Contact ISR and we can put you in touch with other students in similar situations, and we can suggest ideas of campaigning. Such as school ballots against the action, contacting sympathetic MPs, protesting outside the school and/or education authority buildings, contacting the press etc.

ISR, PO BOX 858, London, E11 1YG /020 8558 7947

[email protected]

www.anticapitalism.org.uk