[Onthebarricades] Various school and refugee-related protests

[Andy]

I've compiled here a number of stories related to schools, mostly repression 
in schools, and victimisation of refugees.

What's with these fascists thinking schools are apolitical protest-free 
spaces and protest is a simple disciplinary problem of "absence"?  Still 
more so describing simple protest actions as "crimes" and grounds for 
exclusion!  It's a real Dark Age political attitude - I doubt some of these 
people even have the foggiest idea what a "right" is.

Regarding the Ali Panah story... A "right to protest as long as it's lawful" 
is meaningless - it makes the right conditional on the state's whim.  Even 
the likes of China and Burma recognise a "right to protest as long as it's 
lawful"!  In contrast, the very idea of a right to protest is that it CANNOT 
legitimately be banned.  Such formulations as this occur to allow 
lip-service to rights which are violated in practice.

*  School students protest closures in Scotland

*  School students burn blazers in uniforms protest

*  Iranian hunger-striker in New Zealand

*  Solidarity protesters disrupt prison over refugee hunger strike

*  Romanian self-immolates in Spain, demanding right to return

*  School occupation ends in Wales

*  American court stands up for anti-uniform protest badges


http://news.scotsman.com/education.cfm?id=1388382007


Pupils' protest takes to streets
GARETH ROSE EDUCATION REPORTER ( grose at edinburghnews.com)
HUNDREDS of protesting children downed pens and walked out of primary 
classes this morning as the strikes in protest at the planned school 
closures got under way.
Children from Craigentinny, Lismore, Bonnington and Drumbrae schools chanted 
songs, waved banners and cheered as passing motorists hooted their horns in 
support.

Former council leader Ewan Aitken was among 300 parents and pupils to twice 
march around the Craigentinny campus to show their opposition to the school 
being on the council's hit list.
Pupils at Castlebrae Community High School, however, called off their 
morning-long strike at the last minute after pleas from teachers and 
meetings between pupils in the lower and upper schools.
Linda Brown, chairwoman of the Craigentinny Primary School parents 
committee, said: "It went brilliantly - really, really well.
"The atmosphere was brilliant and we did two walks around the school and 
then on to the shops. All the children
were chanting, 'Craigy forever, houses never'. The teachers were standing at 
a side door and applauding."
Gail Ross, secretary of the Lismore Parents Action Group, said: "It was 
absolutely marvellous, a really good protest.
"We had about 70 people, including children and adults involved, and a lot 
of the vehicles that went past were tooting their horns, including bus 
drivers."
Lisa Manders, 29, of Cables Wynd House, Leith, whose daughters Billigo, 
nine, and Paddileigh, five, attend Bonnington Primary, where up to 100 
protested, said: "We had to protest outside the school gates - we were not 
allowed to do it inside the grounds, as the council told us we cannot use 
their property.
"The kids were right into it."
Meanwhile, parents were marching to Drumbrae Primary in protest to the plans 
to shut the school and send youngsters to neighbouring Clermiston.
They were also planning to take children out of the school at 11am to hold 
their own strike action.
Chris Menzies, 27, of Durar Drive, Clermiston, whose children Aaron 
Marjoribanks, eight, and Reese Marjoribanks, four, attend Drumbrae, said:
"This is a small, close-knit community and people are very angry about this. 
The council has been gagging teachers, it's an absolute joke.
"We feel we've got a good case to keep the school open, this is the only one 
in the area with a working kitchen. They say we don't have enough children 
but houses are being built and young families are moving into the area."
Iain Kay, chairman of the Castlebrae Community High School parents 
committee, said the pupils were still firmly against the proposed closure 
even though they called off the strike.
Flyers had gone round the school urging all the children to meet at the 
gates at 8.30am.
Mr Kay said: "Senior pupils met with the junior pupils and they've decided 
to find a more constructive way of getting their point across."
This will please the council who had written to schools urging them to stop 
protests taking place during lesson time.
Mike Rosendale, head of neighbourhood services, wrote to headteachers 
saying: "We have been told that a number of parents may be advocating that 
pupils take strike action and/or demonstrations should take place in school 
grounds and/or during school hours.
"We recognise that parents may wish to make their voices heard but we cannot 
condone anything that will cause disruption to children's education.
"Demonstrations should not be allowed on school grounds and any child who 
misses classes as a result of this type of action should be marked as an 
'unauthorised absence'."

School pupils burn blazers in uniform protest
www.24dash.com/education/28242.htm

Publisher:  Jon Land
Published: 02/10/2007 - 22:49:28 PM Printable version

School pupils burn blazers in
uniform protest
Police were called to a school today after pupils started burning their 
blazers.
The students at Abertillery Comprehensive School, south Wales, are believed 
to have been protesting against new regulations making the jackets 
compulsory.
The blazer blaze started in the school's bus bay after pupils, mainly from 
Year 11, walked out of lessons.
Headteacher Pauline Thomas told the South Wales Argus: "We sent letters out 
at the end of the last term, informing parents that youngsters must now wear 
the blazers.
"It was not a protest over cost, it was just a case of some pupils who do 
not like being told what to do.
"What they were doing is a criminal offence. Letters will be sent out to all 
the parents of the children involved and some will have to be excluded."
Police officers and firefighters were called this afternoon but the students 
ran away when they arrived, Mrs Thomas told the newspaper.
>From Friday, pupils will be sent home if they are not wearing the blazers, 
she added.
A Gwent Police spokeswoman said officers were called to the school at about 
1pm but that the incident was over by the time they arrived.
A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said firefighters did 
attend but were not needed at the scene.
A spokesman for Blaenau Gwent Council said: "The Local Education Authority 
is aware of an incident at Abertillery Comprehensive School which involved a 
number of pupils setting fire to their school blazers, after which some left 
the school premises.
"The headteacher and her staff have managed the situation and notified the 
relevant authorities in order to protect the health and safety of the 
pupils.
"There are well-established procedures in schools, notably Schools' 
Councils, for involving pupils in the formulation of school policies such as 
those on uniform, and appropriate opportunities are available for the 
discussion of any issues which arise.
"The school will contact the parents of pupils who have been absent from 
school to seek their cooperation in ensuring their attendance at school and 
in avoiding any reoccurrence."

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Iranianhungerstrikerstepsupprotest/tabid/423/articleID/33808/Default.aspx

Iranian hunger-striker steps up protest
Sun, 02 Sep 2007 10:41a.m.
Anglican Archbishop David Moxon visited Ali Panah today
A jailed Iranian hunger striker has intensified his protest by refusing to 
take mineral supplements.

Ali Panah has not eaten for 52 days in protest at the Government's refusal 
to grant him refugee status.

Mr Panah says he will be killed if he is deported to Iran because he has 
converted to Christianity.

Seven of Mr Panah's supporters were yesterday arrested after chaining 
themselves to lights and a flagpole outside Mount Eden prison.

Anglican Church Social Justice Commissioner Anthony Dancer has just returned 
from a visit to Mr Panah.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10461227

Seven arrested after prison protest released
12:37PM Sunday September 02, 2007
Seven people protesting in support of an asylum seeker after an incident at 
Mt Eden Remand Prison yesterday have been released.
Five were arrested yesterday afternoon after chaining themselves to the 
flagpole and lights at the prison, while another two who were warned to stay 
away from the prison grounds were also arrested.
The seven were members of the group Global Peace and Justice Auckland and 
were protesting in support of Iranian asylum seeker Ali Panah, who is now 
into the 52nd day of a hunger strike.
Senior Sergeant Cam Moore of Auckland Police said the men were arrested 
yesterday afternoon but had been released from custody yesterday evening.
He said all seven would appear in court some time within the next week.
"People have the right to protest in a democratic society but it has to be 
lawful and peaceful," he said.
"Unfortunately, they weren't being lawful."
The protesters had refused to sign bail papers and refused food in 
solidarity with Mr Panah while at the Auckland Central police cells but Mr 
Moore said this morning that they had been released.
Mr Panah is starving himself in protest over a government decision to deport 
him to Iran. He has been detained in Mt Eden prison but has weakened in 
recent days and is now being treated in Auckland Hospital.
Global Peace and Justice spokesman John Minto said he understood Mr Panah 
was "very weak but strong in spirit" in his Auckland Hospital bed.
He has been has been accepting liquid mineral supplements on the advice of 
his doctors but is refusing solid food.
Mr Panah has refused to sign deportation orders, saying he would face death 
if he was returned to Iran. His supporters say he converted to Christianity 
when in South Korea and sent a video of his baptism to his mother.
They say the video was apparently intercepted by Iranian customs officials 
and referred to the authorities. In his absence, he was sentenced to death.
They want the government to issue a temporary visa until it is safe for him 
to return to Iran.
His supporters include Anglican Archbishop David Moxon and The Rev Dr 
Anthony Dancer, the Anglican Church's social justice commissioner. Both have 
previously asked for mercy for Mr Panah.
Mr Panah has had a refugee appeal authority hearing but was not granted 
refugee status.
Mr Minto said Mr Panah's case had few differences to that of Thomas 
Yadegary, a Catholic convert who was freed on bail in April after being held 
in prison without charge since November 2004.
Immigration Minister David Cunliffe said last month said Panah had had his 
full rights under the law over his claim for refugee status.
- NZPA

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0484609320070904

Romanian sets himself alight in protest in Spain
Tue Sep 4, 2007 2:46pm EDT

MADRID (Reuters) - A Romanian man set fire to himself in front of a Spanish 
government building on Tuesday to protest against the failure of authorities 
to help him and his family return to their home country, Spanish media said.
The man, in his 40s, was desperate after criminals tricked his family out of 
400 euros ($540) which they had saved to buy tickets back to Romania, the 
government's representative in Castellon, on the east coast of Spain, 
Antonio Lorenzo told the press.
Despite efforts by his family and police officers to prevent him, the man 
poured petrol onto himself and lit it with a lighter in front of the central 
government's headquarters in Castellon.
Police officers managed to remove the man's clothes to put out the blaze and 
he was rushed to hospital with burns to 70 percent of his body.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6977353.stm

School protest break-in ends

The council said the school building has been offered to the community
Five members of the Welsh Language Society have ended a day-long occupation 
of Mynyddcerrig junior school in the Gwendraeth valley.
The group broke into the school near Kidwelly, in protest at its closure and 
changed the locks.
They say the building could become a focal point for the community but the 
council want to sell it - something the council denied.
Councillor Ieuan Jones described it as a "criminal act for publicity".
The five forced their way into the former Welsh-medium primary, which had 
seen previous protests by parents and the local community over its closure.
The school - which had 16 pupils - shut in July as part of reorganisation.
I can't understand why they're there - we're offering the school to the 
community if the community wishes to take on the challenge

Councillor Ieuan Jones
Carmarthenshire has a 10-year schools' reorganisation programme, aimed at 
improving school buildings as well as cutting surplus places, that could see 
up to 32 schools closed and replaced with new area "super schools".
Carmarthenshire Councillor Ieuan Jones, the executive board member for 
education, described the protest as "a nonsense".
He said: "I can't understand why they're there. We're offering the school to 
the community if the community wishes to take on the challenge. It's part of 
our policy.
"The consultation process took a period of over nine months and, as a matter 
of fact, when the school was already unable to fund itself, we actually put 
in more money into that school in order to keep the teacher there until the 
school actually closed.
"So we've bent over backwards in the case of Mynyddycerrig."
After the protest, campaigner Ffred Ffransis accused the council of "going 
through the motions" in offering the school building to the community.
"It's if they can get a business plan together almost immediately and if 
there are exceptional circumstances - it's not going to happen," he said.
"They're going to try to sell off the building as quickly as possible and 
raise money for the council, it doesn't matter about the local community, 
the parents or the children's education."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/nyregion/21nazi.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin

Court Allows Boys' Protest via Buttons

By JONATHAN MILLER
Published: September 21, 2007
BAYONNE, N.J., Sept. 20 - A federal district judge ruled on Thursday that 
two grade-school students here can wear buttons depicting Hitler Youth to 
protest having to wear school uniforms.

The judge, Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. of Federal District Court in Newark, 
wrote in a 28-page decision that the button did not "materially and 
substantially disrupt the work and discipline of the school."
The judge based his decision in part on a 1969 ruling by the United States 
Supreme Court that allowed students in Des Moines to wear black armbands to 
school in protest of the Vietnam War. He wrote that had the button depicted 
swastikas, a Confederate flag, or a burning cross, it would have been 
"plainly offensive" and he would have ruled differently.
The schools superintendent, Patricia L. McGeehan, said the district was 
disappointed in the ruling, and planned to review its options.
Ms. McGeehan said in a statement that the district was "very concerned with 
the precedent this may set not only for Bayonne but for every public school 
district in New Jersey that tries to create and maintain a school 
environment conducive to learning and that is not offensive to students or 
staff."
The statement added, "Images of racial and ethnic intolerance do not belong 
in an elementary school classroom."
The dispute over the button began last fall, when Michael DePinto, 11, who 
was a fifth grader at Public School 14 at the time, objected to the policy.
To protest, he and his mother, Laura, 47, made a button that included a 
photograph of a group of grim, identically dressed members of Hitler Youth 
with the words "No School Uniforms" imposed over them.
After Michael wore the button for several weeks, the district sent a letter 
to his home in November, demanding that he stop or face suspension. Another 
fifth-grade student, Anthony LaRocco, then began wearing one as well.
After the suspension threat, the boys' parents sued, claiming their First 
Amendment rights were being denied.
Michael said on Thursday that he had never intended to offend anyone but 
merely make a point about conformity.
"It's like forcing a swastika on someone," he said. "It's what Hitler did to 
his youth."