Police called after pupils go on strike over uniform crackdown

GARETH ROSE

POLICE were called to a city high school after pupils staged a walkout in protest at a crackdown on uniform.

About 100 youngsters, aged from 11 to 14, wore casual clothes to Craigmount High School on Friday, flouting an instruction to adhere to school dress codes.

An undisclosed number refused to go back to class after the morning break after they were given a dressing down. Police were called as the demo threatened to get out of hand.

The stunt had been organised via e-mail the previous day, in response to a letter sent home by headteacher Dr John Campbell asking parents to make sure pupils obeyed the dress code.

Children at Craigmount, in Corstorphine, may wear a white or blue polo shirt, or the more formal white or black shirt with the school tie. They must, however, wear black trousers.

Dr Campbell is understood to have warned youngsters who failed to do so that a letter would be sent to their parents.

This prompted an angry stand-off between pupils and staff on Friday, just hours before the school broke up for the half-term holiday. Most of the children were coaxed back into class, but a minority did not return.

Education chiefs say their parents have been contacted and the pupils face possible disciplinary action on their return next week.

Dr Campbell attempted to capture the youngsters on film, so the protestors and their actions would be on record when the time came to dish out punishments - but his video camera did not work. However, the pupils were caught on CCTV and may face disciplinary action on their return next week.

One parent claimed the children had been spurred into action by the "heavy-handed" approach taken by Dr Campbell.

She said: "The new headmaster wants them all to wear school uniform at all times. The kids got together and decided they would have a day of protest and most of them wore jeans on Friday.

"All the kids got letters home to give their parents and this sparked a riot. They were all outside, rampaging along Craigs Road.

"Dr Campbell has just come in and laid down the law without any consultation with staff or pupils. I don't like the fact that the kids were rampaging about, but he has brought it on himself."

Another parent added: "My son said there had practically been a riot at the school. Some pupils seem determined to resist."

A council spokeswoman said: "A small number of pupils left early on Friday without permission. Appropriate action will be taken against them upon their return from the February break."

The council has denied reports that children were shouting and climbing fences and that some pupils were knocked down in the rush to leave the school.

A police spokeswoman said: "Community officers were called to the school. However, there were no signs of a disturbance."

Craigmount High School has had a school uniform since 1999, and pupils have had a say in the colours used.

Education chiefs believe uniforms improve behaviour and attainment, and have urged schools and pupils to improve take up to the point that almost all schools in the city now have at least a dress code and in many cases a full school uniform.

The pupils have been backed by the Scottish Parent Teacher Council (SPTC).

Judith Gillespie, development manager of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said: "There's no evidence to suggest that everyone wearing the same clothes to school makes a difference to attainment.

"Threatening to report the children back to their parents is an insult to their independence."

(THE SCOTSMAN EVENING NEWS, 14.02.2006) (ZITAT ENDE)

Tja, Leude, so sieht das aus, wo ich so unterrichte.
ROCK AND ROLL HIGHSCHOOL GALORE!!
Da bereut man es fast, freitags frei zu haben. Aber nur fast.