Pupils stage mass walkouts to protest against Iraq war

The first to take action were youngsters from Skipton's Aireville School on Wednesday afternoon. Despite the attempt of teachers to keep pupils on the premises, many left at lunchtime.

They made their way into the town, where they chanted anti-war slogans in Holy Trinity Churchyard after police moved them on from the war memorial for safety reasons.

A group came into the Craven Herald to make a statement.

The pupils said their action was not an excuse for an afternoon out of school but a genuine protest.

"We realise that it won't make a bit of difference but we do feel that we have a right to let everyone know how young people feel," said a group spokesman.

"We decided to come into the Craven Herald to let everyone know that we are not a load of kids having a day off but we have a right to be heard and this is the only way we could get noticed.

"We know we will get into trouble - we'll probably get suspended but at least we have told people what we think."

The spokesman said a petition was circulated around Aireville protesting at the Iraq war, and plans for a walkout at lunch time were passed by word of mouth.

However teachers attempted to prevent children leaving but they fled across the pitch and putt course and Craven College and began congregating in the town.

The pupils said at least half the school had left but some had drifted back. They intended to report back to the school before going home.

Aireville headteacher David Croll said that about 30 pupils between the ages of 12 and 15 had left the premises without permission.

Mr Croll added: "We are regarding this as truancy and pupils will be dealt with through the normal procedures and while pupils should be encouraged to hold their own views on matters of public importance this does not justify truancy from school or the risks that were taken by these pupils on leaving the premises.

"We understand that this has been brought about through a website and feel very strongly that these people responsible have little regard for the safety and care of young people."

A letter will go to the parents of all those pupils who left the school and they will also be made to make up the time they missed.

Mr Croll added that if there was any further repetition by the same pupils, there would be more serious consequences.

The Aireville protest had been timed to coincide with similar action at the town's other secondary schools but the organisers admit they got the wrong day.

The grammar school pupils, in fact, walked out yesterday (Thursday).

About 50 boys from Ermysted's boycotted lessons from 10.45am and stayed out of class all day.

Armed with banners, the group sat in the school grounds, at the front of the building, chanting anti-war slogans.

Later, it was claimed that about 20 of the lower school pupils would receive an hour's detention tonight (Friday) for missing lessons while the older pupils had escaped similar punishment.

Spokesman Steve Bloxham said that at lunchtime the protesters were asked by teachers not to continue their protest, but vowed to carry on. The 16-year-old said the pupils agreed not to leave the school grounds.

At the Girls' High School pupils and staff came to a compromise over the length of their protest.

Headteacher Janet Renou said many of the year 11 pupils with strong opinions on the war had been fired up by scenes on television of pupils walking out of school.

She was concerned that they would put themselves at risk if they left the school grounds and marched into town, and tried to make them understand that properly organised demonstrations needed support from the police and roads closed to traffic.

A compromise was reached whereby those pupils who wished to make their feelings known were allowed to stand in the school field from 1pm to 2pm and wave their banners.

Mrs Renou and some of the sixth formers tried to explain to the younger pupils that their protests to stop the war were too late and they should have done something productive, like sending letters to the Prime Minister and local MPs, to make their feelings known weeks ago.

The pupils have been encouraged to channel their energies into doing something to help after the hostilities. Already they have arranged a collection to spend on relief work helping the victims of the war.

Rachael Naylor, on behalf of some of the sixth formers, said: "The way the younger school pupils went about expressing their opinion was entirely counter-productive to the issue at hand and disrespectful to the school and staff. It also lacked compassion for those with relatives and friends in the troops.

"This protest was not representative of the school's views as a whole and regardless of how it seemed a large percentage of the school pupils were still dutifully in lessons.

"It is important to stop protesting against a war that has already started and channel our energy into supporting the troops and supporting victims of war."

A mass walkout was also planned at South Craven School, Cross Hills, but no-one was prepared to comment as the Herald went to press yesterday (Thursday.)

At Settle High School, although the war was a hot topic of conversation, no demonstrations took place. A spokesman said: "The students are obviously discussing it and there are some structured discussions about the pros and cons."