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‘We’ll sue protesting teachers’
Overnight camp anti-academy demonstration leads to threat
of legal action
WESTMINSTER Council is planning to sue its own teachers after they set up an overnight camp in Pimlico School playground.
They claim last Tuesday’s peaceful protest, involving 10 teachers and former governors, was “misguided” and “potentially dangerous”.
Councillor Nick Yarker, deputy director for children’s services, said: “We are now investigating the possibility of legal and disciplinary action against those individuals concerned.”
The “commando-style” storming of the school follows a bitter 16-month campaign to “keep Pimlico comprehensive” that has undermined parents and teachers’ faith in local democracy.
English teacher Bridget Chapman said: “If Cllr Yarker thinks he can bully campaigners by threatening them with legal action, it shows just how desperate Westminster Council are to silence the roars of protest over their dodgy dealings.
“Given Westminster’s refusal to listen to the wishes of the people they are supposed to represent, Cllr Yarker can hardly be surprised that campaigners feel they have no other choice but to make their voice heard through direct action.”
Education officials voted unanimously in favour of academy status, despite 96 per cent of 300 responding parents and teachers objecting.
The consultations on Pimlico were blasted as a “charade” back in December by the vicar of St Martin-in-the-Field, Rev Nicholas Holtam.
And this week the council released responses from its latest round of consultation: out of 85 responding, just five were in favour of an academy.
More than a third complained they were not given enough information.
Padraic Finn, secretary of Westminster National Union of Teachers, said: “It says something about the council’s attitude to democracy and parental involvement that the leader of the council, Sir Simon Milton, announced in March 2007 that he wanted Pimlico to be turned into an academy, well before the consultation had even started.
“Then came the shameless announcement that they were to hand four acres of the most valuable land in Europe over to a long-time associate of Westminster Conservatives and donor to the party, John Nash, not to mention a new £35m building paid for by taxpayers.
“The proposed sponsor has appointed a designate head and three deputies without any consultation with parents or staff whatsoever. Even the council was excluded from this decision. It is driving the supporters of Pimlico School up the wall.”
At a major education conference at Congress House in Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury – attended by 300 people including Tony Benn, Frank Dobson MP and former Downing Street aide Fiona Millar – campaigners from across the country echoed Pimlico parents and teachers’ criticisms calling for “more miltant action”.
Ms Millar told the meeting: “The process is wholly undemocratic. The sponsor is not scrutinised, even before the public funding agreement.
“Apart from anything it is bad politics. It is perceived that they are deceitful – it seems like a back-room deal.”
Veteran socialist and former cabinet minister Mr Benn said: “What democracies have done ever since 1837 is transfer power from the market place to the polling station. The ruling class has never really got over it. What’s going on now is creating precisely the opposite.
“Thatcher started it. It was a deliberate counter-revolution against democracy. She started to smash the unions, she began the process of privatisation that has been carried to such lengths by New Labour.
“It is about transferring power back from the polling station to the market place. This campaign is of such importance; it needs to be seen in these terms.”
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