OVER 100 people assembled for the Hands Off Hackney Schools campaign
meeting on 8 February. They were showing their opposition to the new
education White Paper (see editorial page 2) and to Hackney being used
as a test ground for academy schools.
Haggerston girls’ school parent Judy Beishon explained how Haggerston
school was first threatened with the choice of becoming an academy,
foundation or mixed-sex school.
Parents, teachers, support staff and students overwhelmingly opposed
all three proposals, so the first two were dropped. But a ‘Hands off
Haggerston’ campaign was still running against a change to mixed-sex
status which parents oppose.
Hackney Learning Trust’s arguments are flawed, Judy said, especially
their claim that most parents want mixed-sex academies instead of the
present variety of community schools.
Suzanne Beishon from Hackney International Socialist Resistance (ISR)
spoke of the action pupils had taken throughout the campaign, which ISR
helped to organise. Suzanne said students were poorly treated and not
consulted. They planned two further protests for when the decisions on
Homerton’s closure and Haggerston’s future are made.
Ricky Jones of Hackney Unison said the Mossbourne academy school
already set up in the borough puts middle-class families from outside
Hackney before working-class children living next door. Twenty students
had applied from local estates but only one got in!
Former Labour MP and left leader Tony Benn had spoken earlier. He may
have hoped that the Labour Party can be reclaimed but the White Paper
again shows the need for a new workers’ party that represents ordinary
people and not millionaires.
Hackney Library workers strike
UNISON MEMBERS in Hackney libraries took half-day strike action on 7
February over weekend working conditions. "The strike had a big
effect with over 75% of staff taking part in the action" said
Hackney UNISON chair Brian Debus.
Employers want to go back on their agreement with UNISON in 2003.
This includes a pay cut by removing Saturday enhanced pay and forcing
people to work at weekends at the weekday pay rate.
Library workers now plan to continue action by working strictly to
job descriptions and not moving site to fill in for sick leave or other
absences.
