Support the suspended students
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In summer 2014, Kelly Rogers ad Simon Furse became the first students in many years to be suspended for a full academic year from a British University for protest activity. They were technically suspended for being part of - or even just supporting - an occupation in November 2013, in support of a number of demands including the living wage for campus staff, which was subsequently achieved. Their suspension followed a seven month-long disciplinary process culminating in a week-long ‘trial’ in which they were banned from using legal representation, and refused access to minutes and some of the allegations against them.
Kelly and Simon are going back to University at the end of March after 9 months of suspension. Neither of them will receive any student loans, and they will be both be under a lot of stress to finish their degrees after such a long forced break. Working whilst studying will not be possible, and that is why we need you to help out - by donating money and/or sharing this with people who can.
Getting this money together is a priority, not just because some of us know Simon and Kelly and wish them well, but because helping out those victimised by management and the state is a vital duty for anyone involved in politics. Kangeroo Courts and disciplinaries are supposed to be deterrents against political activity, and they are far more effective if we forget about those who have been dragged through them.
In this case, one of the consequences of being attacked and victimised is straightforward: money. And we can help with that in a straightforward way: by raising money. Raising this money isn’t about charity, it’s about the student movement (and the left more broadly) defending itself from victimisation. So donate what you can, and spread this around.
Further reading on the suspensions:
‘We have paid a heavy price for our peaceful student protest’ - Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/24/heavy-price-peaceful-student-protest-birmingham-university
‘Students suspended after kangaroo court’ - NCAFC: http://anticuts.com/2014/07/21/press-release-university-of-birmingham-students-given-9-month-suspension-for-peaceful-protest-by-kangaroo-court/
‘Court order ends student protests’: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/nov/25/court-order-ends-student-protes
Kelly and Simon are going back to University at the end of March after 9 months of suspension. Neither of them will receive any student loans, and they will be both be under a lot of stress to finish their degrees after such a long forced break. Working whilst studying will not be possible, and that is why we need you to help out - by donating money and/or sharing this with people who can.
Getting this money together is a priority, not just because some of us know Simon and Kelly and wish them well, but because helping out those victimised by management and the state is a vital duty for anyone involved in politics. Kangeroo Courts and disciplinaries are supposed to be deterrents against political activity, and they are far more effective if we forget about those who have been dragged through them.
In this case, one of the consequences of being attacked and victimised is straightforward: money. And we can help with that in a straightforward way: by raising money. Raising this money isn’t about charity, it’s about the student movement (and the left more broadly) defending itself from victimisation. So donate what you can, and spread this around.
Further reading on the suspensions:
‘We have paid a heavy price for our peaceful student protest’ - Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/24/heavy-price-peaceful-student-protest-birmingham-university
‘Students suspended after kangaroo court’ - NCAFC: http://anticuts.com/2014/07/21/press-release-university-of-birmingham-students-given-9-month-suspension-for-peaceful-protest-by-kangaroo-court/
‘Court order ends student protests’: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/nov/25/court-order-ends-student-protes
Organizer
Deborah Hermanns
Organizer
