PROTESTERS who set up an anti-capitalism camp outside St Paul’s Cathedral are on their way to Bishop’s Stortford.
Members of the Occupy movement were due to address sixth-formers at the Bishop’s Stortford High School as part of the students’ citizenship lesson today (Jan 27).
The outreach team of the demonstrators – who pitched tents outside the iconic London landmark in October and are currently appealing against a court order to move – was invited by Simon Etheridge, the school’s subject leader for religious studies and citizenship.
They will take part in the latest in a series of forums which has also included talks by former Conservative minister and political pundit Michael Portillo, Scottish left-wing firebrand George Galloway, gay rights spokesman Peter Tatchell, newsreader Alastair Stewart, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow and Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Shirley Williams.
Mr Etheridge said: “I invited Occupy to stimulate debate and discussion among the students about their politics and their world at the moment, as well as their views about the protest outside St Paul’s.
“This will be balanced by future speakers. We’re not here to corrupt the young – we host all respectable and appropriate political parties.”
The typical format of the session is that students listen to the speaker and follow with a Q&A session.
Occupy protesters say they are campaigning against inequality, social injustice and corporate greed.
Head Andrew Goulding said: “Occupy are one of a large number of organisations we invite into school in order to engage our students in debate about current issues.
“Students gain a great deal from engaging with the issues of the day and have shown consistently that they have some very intelligent and articulate questions to put to the speakers.
“These debates help to develop analytical and critically-thinking citizens. Occupy have raised some fundamental questions for debate and our students are amongst the very best to engage with this debate.
“Staff ensure that a range of views are heard and there is no political bias in the speakers we invite.
“The citizenship programme arranged by Mr Etheridge is one of the flagship experiences offered by the school and we welcome the media interest in this outstanding practice.”
