- Schools are ready to crack down on pupils who miss classes
next week to attend anti- war protests during President George Bush's three-day
visit.
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- Despite warnings not to skip lessons, pupils are co-ordinating
a series of "school strikes" using text messages and internet
message boards. Some anti-war groups are urging pupils to walk out of school
on Wednesday to protest against Mr Bush's state visit at a rally in Parliament
Square. They also hope pupils will attend the main demonstration the next
day, which will culminate in a statue of Mr Bush being toppled in Trafalgar
Square.
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- Politicians and headteachers have condemned the groups
as irresponsible and warned pupils that any unauthorised absences from
school will be treated as truancy.
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- Tim Collins, the Conservative education spokesman, said:
"It would be disgraceful if children were permitted or encouraged
to leave lessons to attend this demonstration. Anti-Americanism is not
on the national curriculum and if teachers are condoning this behaviour
it is they, not their pupils, who should be looking for something else
to do next week."
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- Phil Willis, the Liberal Democrat education spokesman,
said: "It's not my job to support children taking time off school.
But clearly the arrival of the President at such an important time is an
issue that is of interest to schools. If young people choose to attend
these demos I hope that schools will look at that in a positive rather
than a negative way." More than 10,000 school pupils attended protests
this year in the run-up to the Iraq war. Some schools locked their gates
in an attempt to stop pupils walking out. Police were called to some schools
after pupils took their protest to the streets.
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- The Government warned parents yesterday not to allow
their children to miss school to attend the protests. Headteachers have
threatened pupils with detention or suspension if they boycott lessons.
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- A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills
said: "While we fully respect young people's right to protest, this
should be done outside school hours. During the school day, we expect pupils
to be in school. If a pupil is out of school without permission, the absence
is, of course, unauthorised and parents should be informed."
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- John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads
Association, said headteachers were responsible for ensuring pupils did
not miss school. "This is truancy and would be treated as such by
schools," he said. "The normal punishments for truancy would
apply - depending on the individual school's policy. It could mean suspension
but it's more likely to be detention."
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- A spokesman for the Stop the War Coalition said: "We
do not advocate people leaving school to attend protests. People will decide
for themselves what they want to do. The national demonstration on Thursday
goes on until 7pm so that is the ideal opportunity for people to come after
work or school."
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- Verity Marriott, 16, an organiser for Schools Against
the War, which is part of the Stop the War Coalition, is co-ordinating
"school strikes" next week across London despite warnings from
her school.
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- "I think it is really important for people to express
their opposition to the war," said Verity, who is a sixth-former at
a north London comprehensive.
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- "Students will gain an awful lot from going on the
demo. Education is not just about sitting in lessons. I'm going to be missing
a politics lesson on Thursday to be part of the protest and I think I'll
learn far more at the demo than by being in school.
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- "My teachers don't know that I'm going to walk out
- although a think a couple probably have a pretty good idea."
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- Michael Higgs, 15, a GCSE student at Pimlico School in
central London, plans to skip lessons. He said: "My parents are pleased
I have got a political mind and I am speaking it. I am against the war
and against George Bush's state visit to London."
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- http://education.independent.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=463862
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