Day of action to back four sacked Halesowen College lecturers
Pressure on the Halesowen College to reinstate four sacked maths lecturers grew today with a day of action by protesters angry at the dismissals.
About 150 people – including teachers, students and trades unionists – gathered at the college gates from 8am this morning to voice their support for Dave Muritu, Jason White and the two other teachers.
The University and College Union (UCU) claimed 60 out of the college's teachers also took part in a one-day strike to add to the protest.
They also presented a 12,000-signature petition calling for the teachers to be reinstated – but no-one from the college came out to collect it and security guards refused to take it inside.
The college sacked the four teachers, then dismissed an appeal by all four, claiming they had failed to meet standards.
College principal Keith Bate claimed the school's records showed just 13 staff took part in today's action.
He said: At the beginning of the day protesters gathered outside the College linked with the UCU industrial action scheduled today.
"The majority of these protesters were not associated with the college.
He added: "All classes have been registered and wherever possible all activities will be scheduled to operate as planned."
One of the teacher's on today's protest was psychology lecturer Rhiannon Lockley.
She said: "We are showing our support to the teachers today because the college got the decision to dismiss them wrong."
History teacher James Morrison said: "He added: "Teachers are scared following what happened, there is a climate of fear. This is about standing up for what we believe in."
The teachers said they were to meet later today about possibly extending the strike
Some students also joined the demonstration at the college gates this morning.
A-Level student Hayley Phillips, 16, said: "If the standards were not being reached, it was more down to the students and not the teachers – these were good teachers."
