Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/581/7348
From The Socialist newspaper, 27 May 2009
Anger at council school closures
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Parents temporarily occupied Charlotte Turner school in Greenwich, photo C Newby |
PARENTS FIGHTING to save Charlotte Turner School reacted angrily to Greenwich council's decision to close their school. The council's cabinet committee on 19 May ignored massive protests and even the council's consultation exercise which returned a huge majority for keeping the school open, and agreed to close the school regardless.
Onay Kasab, Greenwich Unison secretary (pc)
The councillors did not even bother taking a vote but instead nodded the proposal through. This caused massive anger with parents asking how councillors slept at night having made such decisions. Clearly, an allowance scheme that pays more to councillors than most local government workers receive in wages helps them sleep.
Disgracefully, the ward councillor claimed he had spoken to many parents and every one of them wanted the school to close. This is far from the truth, as was proved by the packed consultation meetings.
Unable to deal with the parents' anger, the council adjourned the meeting and left the room. They then called the police to clear the meeting room. Parents made clear that such councillors would not be in place for long come the elections.
That is why the No2EU-Yes to democracy campaign is so important. In the Euro elections we are standing against cuts to services, school closures and privatisation. The campaign gives working people a positive alternative to vote for. Parents from Charlotte Turner have agreed to come and speak at the local No2EU public meeting in Greenwich on 28 May.
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In The Socialist 27 May 2009:
Protest at MPs' sleaze: Vote No2EU - Yes to Democracy
No2EU - yes to Democracy: Who's standing and why you should vote for them
Hear No2EU - Yes to Democracy speakers
Fiddling Tory MP Mackay resigns
UKIP - yet another establishment party
BNP fail to win Salford election
Youth fight for jobs
Youth Fight for Jobs: Fortnight of action 27 June to 10 July
School students organised strikes
Construction workers feature
Construction workers: battle won but war not over
Strike success at Lindsey Oil Refinery and Conoco
An action plan for all construction sites
Diary of a Lindsey Oil Refinery shop steward
International socialist news and analysis
Southampton protest: Stop the slaughter of Tamils
Latvia: 'A capitalist inferno'
Kashmir health workers' victory
Nanjing college students in clashes with police
PCS conference and workplace news
PCS conference: Preparing for future battles
Delegates' anger at Public and Commercial Services union conference
Young members' voices heard at PCS conference
Wales TUC conference - no good news for New Labour
National Shop Stewards Network conference
Socialist Party campaigning news
Anger at council school closures
Lewisham Bridge primary school
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