On 16 July NUT members at Hove Park school took solid and well supported strike action against plans to change to academy status. This strike was just one of the three major successes for the Hands off Hove Park campaign on that day as the results of a parental ballot were confirmed as 71% against conversion and in the evening the results of an election of three governors was announced with all places going to anti-academy parents.
Despite the clear and overwhelming opposition of parents, staff and pupils it is still possible the school will convert as the law does not require governors to actually listen to these vital stakeholders. A local Tory councillor who supports conversion made the mistake of suggesting to those on the picket line that the 71% No, on a 40% turnout, was not a majority of parents. He and the press were quickly presented with figures that showed he was elected by only 6.8% of potential voters in his ward!
The Hands off Hove Park campaign however is confident that the brilliant work being done with demonstrations, strikes and even its own song will make the pressure all too much for those dragged along by the Head in his desire to build a group of academies in Brighton.
Further strikes are likely in the run up to the decision meeting on 22nd September as well as a final push from the parental campaign. So far no schools have voluntarily converted in Brighton since this government got in. All involved in the campaign recognise this is a fight not just for Hove Park but for the future of all schools in the city.
Phil Clarke, Brighton Socialist Party and NUT National Executive member
This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 21 July 2014 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.
