INNOCENT YOUTHFUL ENTHUSIASM AND BELIEF IN HONESTY

PARKVIEW SCHOOL PUPILS TAKE DIRECT ACTION

DETERMINED CAMPAIGN
FAILS TO HALT SCHOOLS
BEING HANDED OVER TO PRIVATE BUSINESS IN
BARROW.
Despite enormous pressure placed upon pupils of Parkview school, the majority defied their teachers and walked out onto the playing fields to express their opposition to the formation of an academy that would absorb their school and two other schools in the town


Concerned parents formed a committee to organise a campaign to oppose the proposed amalgamation of three local secondary schools to form an academy.  It was a carefully organised campaign and public meetings were well attended.  


Several local people were elected to the local borough council on an 'anti-academy' ticket and there was much coverage in the local press.  


The campaigners, of course, could not compete with the financial and material resources of those in favour of the academy - especially when the government of the day (New Labour) had promised to hand over 40 million pounds for the scheme if it was accepted....but NOTHING to upgrade the existing schools if the academy offer was refused. 


Borough and county councillors of all political hue drooled at the mouth and local school governors dribbled wetly at such a prospect for here was prime building-site land being offered up for the taking.  Not only that, but think of the highly lucrative contracts for supplying and maintaining the equipment of the new school......whilst the dumb local tax payers paid to run it without having any say in the matter!


And what of the teachers' unions?  Well, they were opposed to the formation of an academy and would have supported any teachers taking 'industrial action' against the scheme - but no Barrow teachers chose to do so.  Their pupils showed them the way but they did not follow.


The campaign 'fizzled out'  and Furness Academy came in to being because local people could not, or would not, continue to support the campaign opposing it.  The adults of Barrow sold out the future democratic education of their children because doing nothing was easier than resisting the plans of the profiteers.  


If nothing else, these blogs depict the genuine level of moral integrity of the local - adult - population and this probably explains why locals will willingly support building the new submersible launch platforms for American weapons of mass destruction, accept the transportation of nuclear material through their town and, in the region, condone the burial of highly radio-active nuclear waste in the countryside. Wage slaves take what they are given and are grateful for what they receive.  

PUPILS CAMPAIGN AGAINST ACADEMY IMPOSITION