I attended the demo at CRC yesterday which was a lively event with lots of students attending, drums, sirens and chanting. The tactics deployed by the college management, security and principal were disgraceful. During the week they had tried their best to stop the demo by asking college security to tear down posters advertising the demo. The principal then told the students that if they attended and were injured, they would be held 'corporately responsible' - clearly showing the views held by management of the education system as a pro-business, money making venture.
On the morning of the demo, the principal had tried to pull students into his office for 1:1 discussions regarding their actions. Teachers from the NUT branch advised them not to attend. There was an intimidating and unecessarily large presence of security and police on the grounds of 'health and saferty'. I was accosted by a security guard asking who I was and who had invited me. I refused to give a name as I stated I was aware of bullying and intimidation and explained it was my right to be there and that they would have to forcibly remove me if they wanted me to leave. They backed down.
A teacher from the public services course aggressively called his students away from the demo and then made around 30 of them 'drop and give him 10' directly opposite the demo. I spoke with him later as he asked the students to move as it was disrupting his lesson. I pointed out that was the whole point of the demo and as a public service lecturer he should be lending his support. He claimed he did at which point I stated he did not and had attempted to undermine the demo by pulling his students away and forcing them to do press ups. He said that his students have to do that if they disobey him. I stated that this was humiliating and bullying and he should be ashamed of himself - this was the kind of thing you expect in a fascist state and was typical of the Nazi regime. The students refused to move and he threatened to have them arrested under anti-terrorism law!!! This man should have no role in educating our youngsters. I work in public services although I have a suspicion not in the same field as this bully.
The demonstration was highly successful and pulled the students together despite the hostility from the college. Solidarity was shown by the NUT and Cambridge TUC with Respect having a highly visible presence. Many of the students will attend the NUT event in Cambridge this Saturday 13th May at the Guildhall, Market Sq in opposition to the cuts in A-Levels, City Academies and the Education Bill and privatisation of schools