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From The Socialist newspaper, 5 June 2019
Parents and children protest against Send education funding cuts
Protesting against Send education cuts in Waltham Forsest, photo by Waltham Forest Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)
Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party
Particularly powerful were the children who spoke and demanded a decent education for them and their siblings.
Parents and children gathered outside Leeds Art Gallery on 30 June to send a message of opposition to special educational needs and disability (Send) funding cuts. Parents speaking from the platform explained the horrific impacts this is having on their children's education.
Julie Baird, one of the organisers of the Leeds protest said it "was well attended by around 250 supporters, which included members of Disability Empowerment Action Links (Deal). There were 28 other demonstrations and marches around the country.
"This is just the start of the Send revolution, mainly directed at the Send education system that is broken. However all the services that are supposed to support disabled people need complete reform."
Last year, the Deal campaign of Send parents successfully stopped cuts to transport to education for 16+ aged Send students - with support
from Unite Community and other trade union and labour movement activists, including the Socialist Party.
At Thursday's protest, Labour councillor Jonathan Pryor, the council cabinet member forced into making last year's u-turn, called on Labour and trade union members to "stand in the way and do everything to support them" when Send education is threatened with cuts. He said the council would do everything it can to stand in the way of these cuts.
No-cuts budget
However, this has not extended to using council powers to license deficit budgets in schools for up to three years to avoid cuts. The council has not utilised reserves and borrowing powers to stop doing the Tories dirty work of cuts. Leeds trade union council called for this in their recently produced alternative budget.
The parents in Deal will welcome the open door to listen to them, as a result of their campaigning efforts. But it is action to stop and reverse cuts to Send education and other public services that will have a lasting impact on their children's futures.
This battle is only just beginning.
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In The Socialist 5 June 2019:
What we think
Corbyn must go on the offensive against the right with socialist policies
News
Tories deny dire poverty ...look around you! Boot out the Tories
Theresa May admits tuition fees system is broken - but plans new attacks on students
Laughable research denies low-pay scandal
Tiananmen square
The Tiananmen Square massacre - 30 years on
Workplace news
Strike together to kick out the Tories!
Nationalise the threatened Glasgow 'Caley' railway depot
Welsh train fleet workers' victory
Fighting to stop school meals privatisation
UCU conference 2019: Preparing for struggle
Sexual harassment of LGBT+ workers shows need for unions to fight
Universal Credit workers' strike
International socialist news and analysis
India: Modi victory underlines need for real socialist fightback
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Tens of thousands march against Trump
Worcester libraries campaign victory
South Yorkshire: No to fire service cuts!
Protesters condemn Tory candidate
Step forward for campaign to reverse mobility pass cuts in Nottingham
LS26 campaign lobbies council to save their homes
Neglected Newham tenants demand action
Protest against Send education funding cuts
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