Anger at council school closures

Parents temporarily occupied Charlotte Turner school in Greenwich, photo C Newby

PARENTS FIGHTING to save Charlotte Turner School reacted angrily to Greenwich council's decision to close their school. The council's cabinet committee on 19 May ignored massive protests and even the council's consultation exercise which returned a huge majority for keeping the school open, and agreed to close the school regardless.

Onay Kasab, Greenwich Unison secretary (pc)

The councillors did not even bother taking a vote but instead nodded the proposal through. This caused massive anger with parents asking how councillors slept at night having made such decisions. Clearly, an allowance scheme that pays more to councillors than most local government workers receive in wages helps them sleep.

Disgracefully, the ward councillor claimed he had spoken to many parents and every one of them wanted the school to close. This is far from the truth, as was proved by the packed consultation meetings.

Unable to deal with the parents' anger, the council adjourned the meeting and left the room. They then called the police to clear the meeting room. Parents made clear that such councillors would not be in place for long come the elections.

That is why the No2EU-Yes to democracy campaign is so important. In the Euro elections we are standing against cuts to services, school closures and privatisation. The campaign gives working people a positive alternative to vote for. Parents from Charlotte Turner have agreed to come and speak at the local No2EU public meeting in Greenwich on 28 May.

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In The Socialist 27 May 2009:

Protest at MPs' sleaze: Vote No2EU - Yes to Democracy