On
the 21st of January 10 school students from all around Edinburgh
attended the first meeting of the ESSU (Edinburgh School Students’ Union). The
meeting was billed under the title “Why we need a Union” and was attended by
students from three different high schools. A lead off on the purpose of a
student union was then followed by an extremely productive discussion on the
subject matter. This discussion covered various points on the purpose of a
union; the issues effecting students; and the programme/aims of the union which
included points on privatisation, private schools and Education Maintenance Allowances
(a benefit which is paid to some Scottish
students on a weekly basis from when they reach the age of 16). The discussion
served as evidence that the students of Edinburgh are most certainly not, as
school students are often portrayed, apathetic – they are ready to fight for a
voice in an education system which is flawed and fails to serve the needs of
its students.
Students
have traditionally played a major role in the class struggle and our European
counterparts continue to display this in the form of numerous walk outs and
demonstrations as funding to the education system is cut the world over due to
the economic crisis (particularly in Spain where in the region of 90% of school
students are members of their Union-Sindicato de Estudiantes). Here in
Edinburgh we have made a promising start and from this we can hope to build and
fight to gain a voice in the running of our schools!
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