Students at the Pimlico Academy have been fighting continuously against the newly changed uniform policy and curriculum. This being restrictions to colourful hijabs, afro hairstyles and a complete rewriting of the history curriculum to exclude education on BAME communities and Black History Month, replacing it with content on the British monarchy. Last month hundreds of students from the school took part in a demonstration outside of their school against these decisions. Now they are facing expulsion.
The head teacher of the school, Daniel Smith, sent out an email to some parents of the children who took part in the protest just before the Easter holidays asking them to attend a disciplinary meeting on Monday 19th April. The purpose of the meeting was said to be to discuss the “nature of the disruptive behaviour” and give students “opportunity to reflect on their actions”.
He also mentioned that if a student has breached the behaviour policy then they may be permanently excluded from the academy. Furthermore, the head teacher isn’t the only one who is trying to silence these students, the chair of Future Academies Lord Nash also wrote a letter of warning to the parents telling them any future “disobedience” will result in disciplinary action.
This clearly mirrors the general battle in political life at the moment with the Kill the Bill protests, in which it is not unusual to see more than 100 people arrested on bigger demos. The demand for control by the ruling class is not a new occurrence but certainly shows the time we are in. Rights are currently being stripped away left, right and centre in a childish attempt to give as much power to the state as possible.
This is not a case of a rogue headmaster, this is clearly another neat example of hostility towards people fighting against oppression and exploitation. All rights have been won in struggle, the very struggle which is being clamped down on. This is not a choice anymore, we all must fight back against the decrepit system. Join the Marxist Student Federation to fight back!
Mavi Atilgan
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