Following successful strike action by the NUT last term, together Unison and NUT members at Downhills Primary School in Tottenham have notified their acting head teacher that there is to be a day’s strike next Tuesday 19th June against the forced academy conversion.
Please rush messages of support to:
Downhills UNISON: healthandsafety@haringeyunison.
Haringey UNISON: Branchsecretary@haringeyunison
Downhills NUT: philbrett@msn.com
Lobby the DfE: 11am June 19th
Together with Haringey Campaign Against Academies and the Save Downhills campaign, the unions have called a lobby of the Department for Education. The purpose of the lobby is to ask the Secretary of State Mr. Gove to listen to their concerns about his plan to force their school in to academy status.
They expect the lobby to last no more than an hour. It is likely that some children will accompany their parents in a coach of parents, staff and community campaigners from that will leave in the earlier in the morning from Downhills primary school.
You can join the lobby and bring along banners and placards at 11am outside the Department
Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, has said:
“This is another example of the Education Secretary forcing his will and vision for education upon communities who do not want to see their schools handed over to unaccountable sponsors. This has nothing whatsoever to do with standards but everything to do with the break up of our education system. The free schools and academies programme is a costly experiment which is neither wanted nor needed.”
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Downhills NUT May 22nd strike action against forced conversion
NUT members at the school were supported on the picket line by Julie Davies, secretary of Haringey NUT and by parents and supporters from across London. NUT banners from Ealing, Islington, Camden and Hackney were also present. Nick Grant and Martin Powell Davies from the NUT National Executive came to show their support.
So proud of you all at Downhills! Keep fighting, you are doing a great job of highlighting this gross injustice!
The NUT members at Downhills have asked me to pass on our thanks to the huge numbers of people who have sent messages of support for our campaign against being forced to be an academy. Our strike day and Solidarity in the Park organised by the parents showed once again that we are truly a community school, for the commuity and supported by the community! Our struggle continues!