By James Basle
CANBERRA — Secondary Students Against Cuts (SSAC) is organising a strike on November 16 to protest against the ACT Labor government's education cuts. The radical youth movement Resistance is supporting and helping to organise the strike.
The strike has already received widespread support. Students from Narrabundah, Erindale, Dickson, Stirling and Lake Ginninderra colleges have begun publicising the walkout, and SSAC has joined more than 100 students.
The October 27 walkout of 3000 students was a reflection of student anger and disgust. At the walkout students carried placards with slogans like "Education is a right, not a privilege".
A letter printed in the Canberra Times on October 30 is a good example of what students feel. College student Belinda Cheney states:
"I am a year 11 student at Erindale College who with other students from my school are planning another student strike unless something is done to save our education system.
"The strike is about standing up and trying to fight a system that already abuses us, not about having extra time off school.
"I'm sorry if the words 'We're pissed off' offended you, but it seems the only language today's politicians understand."
On October 29 students at Phillip College and Canberra High staged walkouts. At Canberra High the 150 students who walked out were later put on detention.
That night education minister Bill Wood, interviewed on local television, stated that the walkouts were organised by a "politically motivated" group, Resistance.
Kamini Junankar, a member of Resistance, responded: "Of course Resistance is a political group. We believe that the best way to defend young people's rights is to build a green, left alternative to the 'Laberals'. Resistance will continue to organise strikes as long as our education is being stuffed up by the politicians."
More than 2500 students have signed a petition opposing the education cuts, with students from Stromlo High returning petitions with 500 signatures.
Thousands of leaflets being produced to publicise the strike. Amrita Mahli, a Resistance member at Lake Ginninderra College, says, "We are planning to leaflet as many schools as we can and call student mass meetings to encourage all students to walk out of classes and attend the rally. We are going all out. If enough students attend the rally, we believe we can make a difference."
SSAC and Resistance are encouraging students to walk out of classes at noon and to attend the rally and march at the Chesspit, Garema Place in Civic, at 1.30 p.m. At the rally there will be speakers from colleges, high schools, youth and political groups. Students are encouraged to bring musical instruments and to make a lot of noise.
Michael Moore and Helen Szuty, independent MLAs in the ACT Legislative Assembly, have condemned the Labor Party's cuts to education. Michael Moore, however, has stated that he will not block the budget bills because it would be "illegal" and because he has a mandate not to do so.
Junankar disputes this: "How can blocking the budget be illegal? The WA Greens held up the federal budget for three months and made the budget slightly more progressive. Moore has to decide whether he plays parliamentary games, or whether he supports students and our education."
Students can assist in building the strike by giving out leaflets at their school or by organising special assembly meetings to discuss the strike. They can phone Kamini on 247 2424 for further information.