Otley students

are suspended

over Iraq demo

TWO students were due to return to Otley's Prince Henry's Grammar School today after being suspended for leading an anti-war protest.

Sixth formers Sachin Sharma and Carey Davies were both ordered off the school grounds on Tuesday after talking to hundreds of pupils in the school canteen.

But last night, after a meeting between head teacher John Steel, the boys and their parents, the ban was lifted.

Following the suspensions, fellow pupils had held a protest before school started yesterday morning calling for the pair to be reinstated and many parents wrote letters of support.

On Tuesday lunchtime more than 200 pupils listened to Sachin, 19, speak against a possible war against Iraq and about a nationwide student protest. Sachin wanted pupils to leave lessons and hold a protest on the school grounds on Wednesday afternoon.

But within half an hour, both students were called before a senior teacher and suspended indefinitely for encouraging pupils to leave lessons.

The school has said that although it encouraged its pupils to take an active interest in international matters, it could not be seen to be taking a political standpoint.

Sachin, from Hawksworth Wood, near Horsforth, said: "I wanted to make it as legal as possible. Everyone was going to go to the afternoon registration and there would be a protest in the school grounds where we hold the fire drills.

"I got up in the canteen at lunchtime and talked about the war and people were clapping and shouting anti-war slogans."

Sachin is about to sit three A Levels in physics, chemistry and history and a GCSE in Italian.

"It's a shock that it has happened. The whole process took about ten to 20 minutes, I was told to get off the school premises basically."

Fellow pupils Abbi Stackhouse, 16, Vicky Teale, 16 and Caitlin Gray, 17, said they were disgusted with the suspensions and were keen that some sort of protest went ahead.

"This isn't about anti-school, it's about anti war. We wanted to hold a protest in school, we couldn't take the younger kids out of school, but we needed the support of the teachers to do it," said Abbi.

Caitlin added: "Sachin has been suspended for free speech. Everyone was really shocked and there were petitions going around school about getting him back. It's so wrong because we've been having all these debates in class about the war but when we try to do something, this happens."

Parent Alison Sharkey's daughter Hannah, 12, was one of several pupils protesting outside the school yesterday morning.

"I think the school should have given the children the opportunity to discuss the war against Iraq," she said. "I think this was something of a knee jerk reaction to carry out the suspensions."

Alison, who in the past has protested against the Grand National, was calling on pupils not to enter school until Sachin was reinstated.

Councillor Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) said he thought the school had acted very fast. "This is a subject that sixth formers should be discussing. If the school doesn't like the students doing this, it should be doing something itself."

Before last night's meeting, Mr Steel confirmed: "Two sixth form students were sent home for inciting other students, some of them only 11 years old, to walk out of school in protest at a war against Iraq and the situation in Palestine.

"Prince Henry's has a legal duty of care for its 1,360 students and we must ensure the health and safety of our students during the school day. The school cannot advocate or legitimise actions that could put students at risk, and prevent us from exercising our responsibilities."

Mr Steel added that the school could not take a standpoint on any political issue. "However, we take very seriously our responsibility to encourage our students to take an active interest in international issues and our curriculum provides appropriate opportunities for this.

"We therefore value the conviction of the two students concerned, and respect the views of all members of our school community, but cannot sanction protests during the school day when students should be in lessons.

" Indeed, we must also support parents in meeting their legal obligation to ensure that their children attend school."

The two students have been dealt with in accordance with the school's standard behaviour policy.