BY
GRANT COLEMAN
Following on from the spectacular March 5 Books not Bombs student
strike against the war on Iraq, students are getting ready to walk out
of classes again on March 26. Students voted unanimously at the March 5
rallies to join this next strike as the next step in the rapidly developing
student anti-war movement. Organisers are predicting that this strike will
involve even broader layers of high school, university and TAFE students.
In Sydney, where 10,000 students joined the March 5 strike, high school
students have been holding meetings on their schools involving up to 100
students during lunchtimes and after school.
Molly Boland, a student from Riverside Girls School, reports that 100
students attended an anti-war meeting on March 4. The meeting, along with
the March 5 strike, was publicised through anti-war banner painting sessions
and regular poster runs around school. She argues that these meetings are
the best way to increase the anti-war sentiment at school.
“People need to be aware of what is happening. If our posters come down
we will put them straight back up again. Students need the facts so we
can make up our own minds.”
Boland also believes that a US-led invasion will begin sooner rather
than later, and that this will drive more students to strike on March 26.
“If the US attacks, students will have to react. The protests need to be
bigger and broader to reflect the breadth of opposition to the war.”
Maxine Bancilhon, from South Sydney High School, reports that the 120
senior students that took part in March 5 will strike again, despite March
26 falling during the exam period.
She reports that most parents were supportive of the students actions
but that students who couldn’t get permission will walk out anyway.
“Most parents were happy that we were doing something productive. We
weren’t just skipping school. Even if they don’t agree with us they supported
our actions.”
Bancilhon also told Green Left Weekly that South Sydney students
are ready to react to any attack on Iraq.
“If they attack, we will make sure that the word gets around that we
intend to walk out in protest. I don’t know how teachers will react but
this is a shock action. It will make everyone stop and realise that we’re
not just ‘kids’ that do what we’re told. We know what’s going on and we
will act.”
Kira Magee, from Leichhardt High School told GLW that lunchtime
anti-war meetings at her school were continuing to attract 30 students
on a regular basis. She argues that the success of March 5 will ensure
that large numbers of students will come out again for March 26.
“Three-quarters of my school walked out and those that didn’t go to
protest are wishing they had. It was clear to all those that attended March
5 that it wasn’t about wagging school. Students care about what is happening.
We have our own opinions and we’re not going away. March 5 has shown what
we need to do.”
Rhiannon Mason, from Reservoir District Secondary College, reports that
a similar process is developing in Melbourne. She was one of two students
from Reservoir that attended the last strike, after finding out about it
on the morning of March 5. Following March 5, Mason called an anti-war
meeting at school that was attended by 12 students and decided upon a range
of anti-war activities for the next few weeks, including fund-raisers,
poster runs and weekly organising meetings. Mason organised another meeting
two days later which attracted 30 people.
Mason argues that actions such as March 26 are vital for students.
“High school students are not allowed to vote. So we have to protest
because it is the only way we will be heard. March 26 provides students
with another chance to be heard and hopefully it will be at least twice
the size of March 5.
“Classes will mean nothing once the bombs start dropping. Stopping the
war is more of a priority for students.”
Anti-war organising has also begun to develop amongst university students.
Books not Bombs stalls and meetings have been organised on most campuses
across the country.
Fred Fuentes reports from Perth that a stall at the University of Western
Australia attracted 15 new anti-war activists to build the March 26 strike.
Simon Butler from Sydney reports that an on-campus rally attracted 100
students and another 40 attended an anti-war organising meeting.
National Union of Students national education officer Liz Thompson told
GLW that the sheer numbers of high school students at March 5 demonstrated
their determination to stop the war. She also believes that university
students have some catching up to do.
“March 5 was a spectacular display of anger — the high school students
really showed up the university students not just in terms of numbers,
but in terms of determination to stop this war, and feeling really empowered
that they could actually make a difference. On March 5 students showed
that they wanted to take their historical place at the forefront of radical
and militant action against war.
“March 26 needs to be about taking that movement even further, and making
it clear that if there is a war, students will not behave.”
From Green Left Weekly, March 19, 2003.
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