Teachers Fight Back Against Blunkett 'swamping' Rhetoric

Newham teachers, supported by Newham Teachers' Association (NUT), have launched a petition affirming that refugee children are welcome in schools and opposing any moves towards segregated schooling as proposed by the government.


The petition condemns the comments made by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, that refugee children have 'swamped' local schools. The Home Office plans to establish special 'accommodation centres' where asylum seeker children will be educated separately from others in remote areas of the country.


In the past, refugee children have received strong support from other school students, often leading to highly energetic schools-based campaigns against any deportation attempts.

The petition is for teachers, parents, schoolchildren and students and can be signed by people anywhere in the UK. Newham Teachers Association hope that the petition will become a national initiative to show the strength of feeling after the Home Secretary's comments. Other NUT branches are being asked to adopt the petition, subject to approval from local officers.


The petition can be downloaded as a Word file from:
 http://www.carf.demon.co.uk/RefugeePetition.doc.


Or as a PDF file from:
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/letters/News26/teachers.html


Newham teachers invite everyone in the world to sign this petition.


It can be freely photocopied and distributed
and needs to be returned by 31 May 2002 to the
Newham Teachers' Association
NTA Office
The Credon Centre
Kirton Road,
London
United Kindom
E13 9BT