School students strike in Dover

A school student strike took place this week in an academy in Dover. The school has just been turned into an academy with sponsorship from Canterbury Christ Church University, two grammar schools and Kent county council.

Jon Redford and Claire Laker-Mansfield

A student at Dover Christ Church Academy told us: "We went on strike about lunch periods, which had have been shortened by 15 minutes and split into two, meaning we have all been split up from our friends. We got a new headteacher when the school became an academy. The old one was popular and listened to students' views.

Police called

"We organised the strike on Facebook with a group called 'strike for lunch', adding friends and calling for a walk-out. On 4 October at 11.15am, we walked out en masse with more and more students joining us.

"Our numbers eventually swelled to around 300 students. We chanted: 'We shall not be moved', 'We want Archers [the name of the school before it became an academy] back' and 'We want lunchbreaks!'

"The police were called to 'restore order'. It is wrong that the police were used - we have a right to protest and make our feelings known!"

Protests will continue

Socialist Students and Youth Fight for Jobs distributed leaflets explaining that we supported the students' right to protest. We were enthusiastically received by the students who planned another protest, and supported our idea of holding a silent protest on the grass outside the school with placards and banners.

However on the day this didn't happen. The management rounded up the ringleaders and sent them home.

Protests will increase across the country. Cuts and privatisation are what the government has prepared for education across the country, and such protests will increase in response to top-down, heavy-handed tactics.

Socialist campaigners can play a big role in supporting these actions and helping them be a success.

Huddersfield

Join the March Against EMA Cuts

Wednesday 20 October

Assemble 12.40pm outside entrance to Greenhead College, Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, HD1 4ES

Come to our meeting

Can we fund a living EMA for all?

Monday 18 October, 5pm

downstairs in Cafe Evolution.

For more info contact Dexter on

07843994596 or e-mail collegesagainstcuts@hotmail.co.uk

Join the campaign Facebook group: Huddersfield Colleges Against EMA Cuts

Mansfield Youth Fight for Jobs and Socialist Students

Protest against EMA and public spending cuts

Wednesday 20 October, 12.30pm

West Nottinghamshire College

Chesterfield Road South Mansfield, NG19 7BB

Enthusiasm for ten TUSC candidates across Kent

Dover trade unions against privatisation

Dover docks strikes

Dover port workers strike

Students:

Strike at Sussex Downs College

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NUS conference Support for left and for action

Strike:

Come to the 6th annual NSSN conference!

Second strike by Tilbury dockers over attack on contracts

M10: Angry workers walk out across the country

School:

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Greater London Assembly election

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Protest:

More attacks on right to campaign

A short walk down Whitehall...

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EMA:

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Reject slave labour for young unemployed

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Huddersfield:

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Huddersfield demo to save Sure Start centres

Kirklees Sure Start children centres