Bolton schools strike

Staff at two Bolton schools in Lancashire took strike action on 21st October over issues arising from the “academies” programme being implemented where they work. Academies mean some schools close while others are given to corporate sponsors and religious groups.
Proposals to close Withins school and Top O’th Brow primary, and replace Heyward school with an academy, met with a storm of protest earlier this year. Forced to retreat then, the authorities and sponsors are now trying again, with heavy involvement from the Church of England. Striking teachers together with supporters from Unison and more widely lobbied the council ‘cabinet’ meeting about the academy proposals.
At the lobby, Withins NUT rep PHIL ROBERTS explained:
They’ve launched what they consider to be a consultation. If you compare that with what happened in Sheffield or in Preston, there they actually had a ballot where everyone could vote, and they said they’d abide by the decision of that ballot. Here in Bolton there’s a ‘consultation’.
The people of the local area, Breightmet, have already said by 90% that they oppose the closure of Withins school. That’s pretty much the same figure as the union survey says oppose the academy within the school. Proponents of the academy are saying only 30% within the school are opposed. We can only assume they’re only talking about the NUT which organises about 30% of the staff. If that’s the case, then they’re ignoring Unison members who’ve been on strike with us, and the other teaching union (NASUWT) which has an official position against the academy. So to say only 30% are opposed is just being ‘economical with the truth’.
At the other school, Heyward, supporters of the academy are claiming a massive majority in favour. Which is strange, because no or very few people have seen the forms [for registering their opinion]! So there’s concerns about how that figure has been reached.
We’ve also got concerns about community cohesion. When the riots in Oldham and Burnley happened, everyone said it couldn’t happen here because Bolton isn’t as divided. But now, while in Oldham and Burnley the lessons are being learned, in Bolton they’re doing the opposite and creating Christian schools, and religious and ethnic schools.
We hope that this morning the councillors, who owe their elected position to the democratic process, will abide by the decision that people of Bolton want to see made – keep the schools open and throw out the proposal for the academy.
Today’s Cabinet decision has to be ratified by the whole council at a full council meeting. So if they make the wrong decision today, and vote for the academy proposals, we’re appealing to all the other councillors: search your conscience, vote the right way and not just according to the Party line.
We’ll be keeping up the pressure, and keep shouting until they start listening. As teachers we don’t like to shout, but sometimes you have to raise your voice to be heard.
· Campaign website http://savewithins.exofire.net
· OLDHAM demo against academies and school closures in Oldham: Sat 15th November, 10.45am, Queen Elisabeth Hall, Oldham town centre

Thanks to Hugh Caffrey for the report