Strikes at two sixth form colleges in Brighton and Hove are affecting students, a teenager told councillors today (Monday 2 March).
The 16-year-old member of Brighton and Hove Youth Council, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke out in the council chamber at Hove Town Hall.
He made his intervention as members of Brighton and Hove City Council took part in a debate about the strikes at Varndean College and BHASVIC (Brighton, Hove and Sussex VI Form College).
The council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee asked the chairman, Councillor John Allcock, to write a letter in support of the teachers who have been taking part in the strikes.
But the sixth former told the committee: “Committee members ought to take note of the effect of the strikes on students and teachers, in addition to their political preference. Think of the students rather than ideologies.”
He said that he had missed four days of college due to strikes by members of the National Education Union (NEU) – with a fifth strike planned on Tuesday 10 March.
Green councillor Hannah Clare put forward a motion and said that she was disappointed that tutors’ demands were not met and strikes were continuing.
Her fellow Green councillor Elaine Hills said: “We have seen student numbers increase and staff numbers cut. We need to take a stand and show them our support.”
Labour councillor Kate Knight said: “For too long, successive Tory governments have come into power and gutted education budgets, creating enormous holes that Labour fills whenever we are returned to power.
“This cycle cannot go on. We need a firm commitment and a long-term plan for schools funding from this government and we need it now.
“I know that the chair of this committee has already written personally to government ministers to lobby on early years funding and other school budget issues and will be all too happy to press them on sixth form funding too.
“Sixth form funding is in crisis. While the national funding rate for 16, 17 and 18-year-old students is finally rising, after deep cuts since 2010, it is still not rising enough.”
Fellow Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson backed her and said: “Jobs have been cut, class sizes have risen and pay has fallen.
“If the crisis continues to go unaddressed, the future of the sector is under threat and it is students’ education that will continue to suffer.
“I stand in solidarity with our teachers, support staff and our students across the city.”
Conservative councillor Vanessa Brown said: “I’m not saying that staff do not have cause for complaint (but) striking is putting exam results at risk without giving lessons.
“Students are aggrieved that contact time has been reduced.
“This show of support for striking staff, I do not believe is what this committee should be doing. It seems very political.”
Fellow Conservative Alistair McNair said that it was hard to support strike action when parents may be earning much less than teachers and may have had no pay increases themselves.
The motion asked Councillor Allcock to write a letter of support to striking staff. It also asked him to write to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner, asking how they planned to meet the demands of striking staff.
Labour and the Greens backed the motion, with the Tories voting against.
