The Socialist 31 January 2008

End this market madness

No more school closures!

Teachers' union calls strike ballot on pay

Anti-war protests save teachers

Labour councillors anger parents and tenants

New Labour attacking our vital benefits

Incapacity benefit cuts hit the sick

Hain resigns but stink of sleaze remains

Jail break from Gaza

Suharto: "One of the 20th century's biggest killers and greatest thieves"

US elections: The Barak Obama mirage

NHS in crisis

Debt and housing slowdown threaten Britain's time bomb economy

Student elections: Not just a 'beauty contest'!

College students seek socialist ideas

Reality of London students' debt trap

More foo than fight as rockers agree to cross picket line

How Hitler came to power

Global warming, climate change and human activities - Part 2

Burslem postal workers march back to work

Giving the real facts on Burslem strike

National Shop Stewards Network meetings




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/518/3696

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Anti-war protests save teachers

Last November over 125 students walked out of Foster High School in the US, in response to a call from Youth Against War and Racism (YAWR) to protest against the war in Iraq and military recruiters in schools. YAWR was initiated by members of Socialist Alternative, the Socialist Party's sister organisation in the US.

Bryan Watson, Socialist Alternative

71% of the Foster HS student body is low-income and eligible for free or reduced-cost school meals and military recruiters are very active.

In response to the walkout, the Tukwila School District, near Seattle threatened students with suspension. But their main targets were teachers, some of whom encouraged or walked out with the students. Disciplinary investigations threatened the firing of six teachers, and one of them, Brett Rogers, was placed on administrative leave.

Outraged, students, community activists, and Socialist Alternative began organising to resist these attacks.

1,000 protest emails and phone calls flooded the school administration demanding they reinstate Brett Rogers and respect the democratic rights of teachers and students. However, the administration scandalously called in the local police to break up a peaceful student meeting held in the school.

Over 100 students, family members, and community supporters turned out to a school board meeting to demand disciplinary actions are dropped. One student activist was victimised and suspended for nine days. A teacher was sent into the campaign in an attempt to weaken it.

But radical students and Socialist Alternative focused on mobilising students, teachers, and community supporters, the main forces capable of forcing the administration to capitulate.

The school authorities faced relentless pressure on all fronts. The Seattle teachers' union and the LA teachers' union (the second largest teachers' union in the country) passed resolutions in support of the teachers and students.

The campaign received significant local media coverage and under ongoing pressure by students, community members, anti-war groups, and concerned individuals worldwide, and the threat of further organising by students, the school board finally capitulated.

What we won:

Brett Rogers was reinstated.
Almost all investigations against the remaining teachers were dropped.
The disgraced principal of Foster HS was forced to resign.
Students and the local anti-war movement won a significant victory highlighting the power and potential of organised students and workers, through a campaign spearheaded by students and Socialist Alternative.
Teachers around the area have been emboldened that they can stand up to the pro-war activities of their school authorities.
Students have learnt an important lesson about organising and are now continuing to oppose military recruiters.

In this issue

End this market madness