Anti-war pupils demand right to go on march
by Kim Hewitt in the News Letter, March 5th 2003.
Ulster students opposed to the war in Iraq have slammed schools which have banned their pupils from taking part in an anti-war walk-out.
Thousands of students from across Northern Ireland will take part in a walkout today as part of an international day of school strikes against the war in Iraq.
The walk-ours have been called by Youth Against the War and will include schools from Lisburn, Londonderry, Lisburn, Newry, Bangor, Omagh and Coleraine. However some schools have banned their pupils from expressing their opposition.
Youth against War organiser David Semple said:
"We are calling on teachers to co-operate with the action, and to take part. We did have problems in some schools where our members were threatened with disciplinary action. However, the support for the walk-outs has been so strong that in most cases they have backed off."
Sacred Heart Grammar pupil Emma O'Hanlon, 16, said it was a "disgrace" that pupils have been prevented from taking part.
"So many people are willing to show thier opposition to this war, yet their school principals are stopping them from expressing their opinion. I am very shocked at this attitude. Schools should want their pupils to promote peace. Yet instead, some schools are threatening suspension or expulsion if their pupiles make a stand."
Jeanny Deane, also from Sacred Heart, in Newry, added: "We need to unite and demonstrate our opposition against this war. The government hasn't listened so far; maybe this is what it takes to get them to pay attention."
Today's action will take different forms in different areas. In most cases it will involve lunchtime protests at school gates. In a number of areas, town centre rallies have been organised.
The next stage in Youth Against War's campaign is a school strike across Northern Ireland on Day X, the first full school day after the war begins.