View Full Version : Denmark: Big Conference Of Students And Apprentice
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:23
Denmark: Big conference of pupils, students and apprentices
Common problems joint action common solution
By Louise Wilk-Zerahn
Last Wednesday, September 22, became an historic day for the Danish student movement. Nearly 2500 young people from almost all types of educational institutions and from all over the country gathered in the KB hall to start the STOP-NOW-initiative, which has been called by most of the traditional student organizations. They gathered because the government, in spite of the obvious bad state of the education system, continues to carry through cutbacks. The initiative will lead the joint struggle for better education, uniting all young people, across all types of education, and in this context, put forward a number of political demands for the improvement of the conditions of pupils, students and apprentices. Moreover, it was decided to set up regional STOP-NOW networks and to mobilize for a joint day of struggle, on October 5.
The youth have seized the floor! a big banner read behind the scene, and it also reflected the enthusiastic mood from the very beginning of the conference, when Thor Mger Pedersen, chairmen of DGS (the traditional secondary-school student organization), held an opening speech which further lifted the mood in the hall.
As was pointed out many times from the floor of the conference, education can be considered as one of Denmarks raw materials, it is a securing of societys future.
But it is not just for this reason that pupils, students and apprentices are uniting at this stage. They have struggled before, but the point is that the cutbacks have continued, which has resulted in them facing the same problems as before the same or worse conditions, while more cutbacks are on the agenda in the future.
The working environment in the education system has become worse, everywhere the furniture and classrooms are too small or too old and worn. For example, at Stenhus Gymnasium in Holbk, 60% of the school is full of mold fungus. The fact that the government is neglecting the working environment and especially the physical conditions is reprehensible, especially when one considers the fact that a new reform of the secondary schools, which is supposed to modernize the schools, will be introduced this August.
Another tendency in the school system across all types of education is the straitened circumstances of student democracy. The external governing bodies continue at the university, and this means that people outside the university i.e. big business have the majority on the board. Now the secondary schools will be independent, self-governing institutions. Freehold of these schools opens the way for users fees and external boards, as seen in the universities, that means cutbacks directed against the economically weakest people and less democracy, which favors big business.
All this clearly shows that the government is not just neglecting the youth, but that they are deliberately hostile to the idea of education for everyone and in favor of an educational system that fits the business community.
The second speaker at the conference, Per Schultz Jrgensen from the Pedagogical University of Denmark talked of an exaggerated focus on the measuring of effectiveness and individuality as a standard solution, and he thought that the policies of the government were a conscious liberalization of education, which all in all resulted in a negative social heritage, where there is not room for everyone to get the education they want. Judging from the noise level and the applause after his speech, it seemed that the audience agreed. After such good lead-offs the scene was set for a good debate in the following workshops.
All the cutbacks, which have already been carried through, and the prospect of more to come have naturally united the pupils, students and apprentices in the STOP-NOW initiative. United we are stronger, the idea is, and one must therefore also assume that this is a permanent campaign that will not cease before the educational policies are completely reversed.
But the question is whether the line adopted by the conference really is capable of winning concessions. As already said, the conference decided to call and mobilize massively for a joint national day of action, on October 5, the opening day of parliament. It is an absolutely correct decision, because mass demonstrations are an important way for students, pupils and apprentices to show that they stand united behind their demands.
Speaker after speaker clearly expressed the discontent and the will to struggle amongst pupils, students and apprentices the most rousing speeches always answered by loud applauses from the audience. When the chairmen of DGS in the end quoted the radio news talking of a new youth rebellion, the crowd broke into standing ovation. But in spite of the high expectations and intentions, we left the conference without any concrete plan for what to do after October 5, and the risk of the activities petering out thereafter is indeed present.
As the demands of the STOP-NOW initiative basically are about the idea of a free education for everyone, a fundamental principle in the Danish welfare society, and therefore a policy not supported by the government, it strikes one that the initiative thinks that it can win the demands only through demonstrations, various happenings and attention from the media.
The joint demands approved at the conference are about a good and free education for everyone and must therefore be linked to the struggle for welfare in general, because the struggle for welfare is not a different struggle. It is a struggle for ordinary peoples everyday living and opportunities, including the pupils, students and apprentices.
On that basis, collaboration and an alliance with the trade union movement is necessary. Financial backing from the trade union movement is not enough. We know from previous struggles that the government will not always listen simply because of one day of action or a big demonstration in front of parliament, but that they need to be forced. If the demands of STOP-NOW are to be carried through and secure that education is not neglected again, it would imply a complete change of policies on the part of the government. And in reality it would imply that they neglect the interests of their backers that is those of big business.
That is why demonstrations and regional networks, although they are good and necessary things, unfortunately are not enough in themselves to win serious concessions. Only if massive pressure is exercised on the government is it possible to win some concessions on the demands. If big business is pressured by workers strikes, the picture would be a lot different. Then it would be possible that the government would retreat, give concessions and comply with some of the demands of the STOP-NOW-initiative. It is impossible to win the demands by moralizing or simply negotiating with the government or big business. It can only be done by pressure by economic pressure. That is why the STOP-NOW initiative needs the trade union movement, because it is capable of putting force behind its words. Yes, pupils, students and apprentices have already gained strength by uniting in this initiative, but if the movement is to advance, it must be conscious of the necessity of an alliance with the trade union movement and in the last analysis it must be conscious of the need for a new government with new policies.
The fact that the conference was so big, was well over all expectations, Christina Celeste, chairmen of EEO, the apprentices organization, said in her speech. The STOP-NOW initiative is now working towards the day of action, on October 5, and judging from the atmosphere that surrounded the conference, the scene is set for an active struggle for better conditions in the schools and for education for everyone. And the struggle is important, because as Per Schultz Jrgensen said, the STOP-NOW initiative also sends a signal a signal to the rest of Danish society, that the debate and the struggle for a better society is on the agenda. A struggle for the everyday life of working people. A struggle that STOP-NOW must be a part of.
Denmark, September, 2004.
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_repo...onference04.htm (http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_report_conference04.htm)
If you follow the link you can see the pictures
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:23
Denmark: Big conference of pupils, students and apprentices
Common problems joint action common solution
By Louise Wilk-Zerahn
Last Wednesday, September 22, became an historic day for the Danish student movement. Nearly 2500 young people from almost all types of educational institutions and from all over the country gathered in the KB hall to start the STOP-NOW-initiative, which has been called by most of the traditional student organizations. They gathered because the government, in spite of the obvious bad state of the education system, continues to carry through cutbacks. The initiative will lead the joint struggle for better education, uniting all young people, across all types of education, and in this context, put forward a number of political demands for the improvement of the conditions of pupils, students and apprentices. Moreover, it was decided to set up regional STOP-NOW networks and to mobilize for a joint day of struggle, on October 5.
The youth have seized the floor! a big banner read behind the scene, and it also reflected the enthusiastic mood from the very beginning of the conference, when Thor Mger Pedersen, chairmen of DGS (the traditional secondary-school student organization), held an opening speech which further lifted the mood in the hall.
As was pointed out many times from the floor of the conference, education can be considered as one of Denmarks raw materials, it is a securing of societys future.
But it is not just for this reason that pupils, students and apprentices are uniting at this stage. They have struggled before, but the point is that the cutbacks have continued, which has resulted in them facing the same problems as before the same or worse conditions, while more cutbacks are on the agenda in the future.
The working environment in the education system has become worse, everywhere the furniture and classrooms are too small or too old and worn. For example, at Stenhus Gymnasium in Holbk, 60% of the school is full of mold fungus. The fact that the government is neglecting the working environment and especially the physical conditions is reprehensible, especially when one considers the fact that a new reform of the secondary schools, which is supposed to modernize the schools, will be introduced this August.
Another tendency in the school system across all types of education is the straitened circumstances of student democracy. The external governing bodies continue at the university, and this means that people outside the university i.e. big business have the majority on the board. Now the secondary schools will be independent, self-governing institutions. Freehold of these schools opens the way for users fees and external boards, as seen in the universities, that means cutbacks directed against the economically weakest people and less democracy, which favors big business.
All this clearly shows that the government is not just neglecting the youth, but that they are deliberately hostile to the idea of education for everyone and in favor of an educational system that fits the business community.
The second speaker at the conference, Per Schultz Jrgensen from the Pedagogical University of Denmark talked of an exaggerated focus on the measuring of effectiveness and individuality as a standard solution, and he thought that the policies of the government were a conscious liberalization of education, which all in all resulted in a negative social heritage, where there is not room for everyone to get the education they want. Judging from the noise level and the applause after his speech, it seemed that the audience agreed. After such good lead-offs the scene was set for a good debate in the following workshops.
All the cutbacks, which have already been carried through, and the prospect of more to come have naturally united the pupils, students and apprentices in the STOP-NOW initiative. United we are stronger, the idea is, and one must therefore also assume that this is a permanent campaign that will not cease before the educational policies are completely reversed.
But the question is whether the line adopted by the conference really is capable of winning concessions. As already said, the conference decided to call and mobilize massively for a joint national day of action, on October 5, the opening day of parliament. It is an absolutely correct decision, because mass demonstrations are an important way for students, pupils and apprentices to show that they stand united behind their demands.
Speaker after speaker clearly expressed the discontent and the will to struggle amongst pupils, students and apprentices the most rousing speeches always answered by loud applauses from the audience. When the chairmen of DGS in the end quoted the radio news talking of a new youth rebellion, the crowd broke into standing ovation. But in spite of the high expectations and intentions, we left the conference without any concrete plan for what to do after October 5, and the risk of the activities petering out thereafter is indeed present.
As the demands of the STOP-NOW initiative basically are about the idea of a free education for everyone, a fundamental principle in the Danish welfare society, and therefore a policy not supported by the government, it strikes one that the initiative thinks that it can win the demands only through demonstrations, various happenings and attention from the media.
The joint demands approved at the conference are about a good and free education for everyone and must therefore be linked to the struggle for welfare in general, because the struggle for welfare is not a different struggle. It is a struggle for ordinary peoples everyday living and opportunities, including the pupils, students and apprentices.
On that basis, collaboration and an alliance with the trade union movement is necessary. Financial backing from the trade union movement is not enough. We know from previous struggles that the government will not always listen simply because of one day of action or a big demonstration in front of parliament, but that they need to be forced. If the demands of STOP-NOW are to be carried through and secure that education is not neglected again, it would imply a complete change of policies on the part of the government. And in reality it would imply that they neglect the interests of their backers that is those of big business.
That is why demonstrations and regional networks, although they are good and necessary things, unfortunately are not enough in themselves to win serious concessions. Only if massive pressure is exercised on the government is it possible to win some concessions on the demands. If big business is pressured by workers strikes, the picture would be a lot different. Then it would be possible that the government would retreat, give concessions and comply with some of the demands of the STOP-NOW-initiative. It is impossible to win the demands by moralizing or simply negotiating with the government or big business. It can only be done by pressure by economic pressure. That is why the STOP-NOW initiative needs the trade union movement, because it is capable of putting force behind its words. Yes, pupils, students and apprentices have already gained strength by uniting in this initiative, but if the movement is to advance, it must be conscious of the necessity of an alliance with the trade union movement and in the last analysis it must be conscious of the need for a new government with new policies.
The fact that the conference was so big, was well over all expectations, Christina Celeste, chairmen of EEO, the apprentices organization, said in her speech. The STOP-NOW initiative is now working towards the day of action, on October 5, and judging from the atmosphere that surrounded the conference, the scene is set for an active struggle for better conditions in the schools and for education for everyone. And the struggle is important, because as Per Schultz Jrgensen said, the STOP-NOW initiative also sends a signal a signal to the rest of Danish society, that the debate and the struggle for a better society is on the agenda. A struggle for the everyday life of working people. A struggle that STOP-NOW must be a part of.
Denmark, September, 2004.
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_repo...onference04.htm (http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_report_conference04.htm)
If you follow the link you can see the pictures
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:23
Denmark: Big conference of pupils, students and apprentices
Common problems joint action common solution
By Louise Wilk-Zerahn
Last Wednesday, September 22, became an historic day for the Danish student movement. Nearly 2500 young people from almost all types of educational institutions and from all over the country gathered in the KB hall to start the STOP-NOW-initiative, which has been called by most of the traditional student organizations. They gathered because the government, in spite of the obvious bad state of the education system, continues to carry through cutbacks. The initiative will lead the joint struggle for better education, uniting all young people, across all types of education, and in this context, put forward a number of political demands for the improvement of the conditions of pupils, students and apprentices. Moreover, it was decided to set up regional STOP-NOW networks and to mobilize for a joint day of struggle, on October 5.
The youth have seized the floor! a big banner read behind the scene, and it also reflected the enthusiastic mood from the very beginning of the conference, when Thor Mger Pedersen, chairmen of DGS (the traditional secondary-school student organization), held an opening speech which further lifted the mood in the hall.
As was pointed out many times from the floor of the conference, education can be considered as one of Denmarks raw materials, it is a securing of societys future.
But it is not just for this reason that pupils, students and apprentices are uniting at this stage. They have struggled before, but the point is that the cutbacks have continued, which has resulted in them facing the same problems as before the same or worse conditions, while more cutbacks are on the agenda in the future.
The working environment in the education system has become worse, everywhere the furniture and classrooms are too small or too old and worn. For example, at Stenhus Gymnasium in Holbk, 60% of the school is full of mold fungus. The fact that the government is neglecting the working environment and especially the physical conditions is reprehensible, especially when one considers the fact that a new reform of the secondary schools, which is supposed to modernize the schools, will be introduced this August.
Another tendency in the school system across all types of education is the straitened circumstances of student democracy. The external governing bodies continue at the university, and this means that people outside the university i.e. big business have the majority on the board. Now the secondary schools will be independent, self-governing institutions. Freehold of these schools opens the way for users fees and external boards, as seen in the universities, that means cutbacks directed against the economically weakest people and less democracy, which favors big business.
All this clearly shows that the government is not just neglecting the youth, but that they are deliberately hostile to the idea of education for everyone and in favor of an educational system that fits the business community.
The second speaker at the conference, Per Schultz Jrgensen from the Pedagogical University of Denmark talked of an exaggerated focus on the measuring of effectiveness and individuality as a standard solution, and he thought that the policies of the government were a conscious liberalization of education, which all in all resulted in a negative social heritage, where there is not room for everyone to get the education they want. Judging from the noise level and the applause after his speech, it seemed that the audience agreed. After such good lead-offs the scene was set for a good debate in the following workshops.
All the cutbacks, which have already been carried through, and the prospect of more to come have naturally united the pupils, students and apprentices in the STOP-NOW initiative. United we are stronger, the idea is, and one must therefore also assume that this is a permanent campaign that will not cease before the educational policies are completely reversed.
But the question is whether the line adopted by the conference really is capable of winning concessions. As already said, the conference decided to call and mobilize massively for a joint national day of action, on October 5, the opening day of parliament. It is an absolutely correct decision, because mass demonstrations are an important way for students, pupils and apprentices to show that they stand united behind their demands.
Speaker after speaker clearly expressed the discontent and the will to struggle amongst pupils, students and apprentices the most rousing speeches always answered by loud applauses from the audience. When the chairmen of DGS in the end quoted the radio news talking of a new youth rebellion, the crowd broke into standing ovation. But in spite of the high expectations and intentions, we left the conference without any concrete plan for what to do after October 5, and the risk of the activities petering out thereafter is indeed present.
As the demands of the STOP-NOW initiative basically are about the idea of a free education for everyone, a fundamental principle in the Danish welfare society, and therefore a policy not supported by the government, it strikes one that the initiative thinks that it can win the demands only through demonstrations, various happenings and attention from the media.
The joint demands approved at the conference are about a good and free education for everyone and must therefore be linked to the struggle for welfare in general, because the struggle for welfare is not a different struggle. It is a struggle for ordinary peoples everyday living and opportunities, including the pupils, students and apprentices.
On that basis, collaboration and an alliance with the trade union movement is necessary. Financial backing from the trade union movement is not enough. We know from previous struggles that the government will not always listen simply because of one day of action or a big demonstration in front of parliament, but that they need to be forced. If the demands of STOP-NOW are to be carried through and secure that education is not neglected again, it would imply a complete change of policies on the part of the government. And in reality it would imply that they neglect the interests of their backers that is those of big business.
That is why demonstrations and regional networks, although they are good and necessary things, unfortunately are not enough in themselves to win serious concessions. Only if massive pressure is exercised on the government is it possible to win some concessions on the demands. If big business is pressured by workers strikes, the picture would be a lot different. Then it would be possible that the government would retreat, give concessions and comply with some of the demands of the STOP-NOW-initiative. It is impossible to win the demands by moralizing or simply negotiating with the government or big business. It can only be done by pressure by economic pressure. That is why the STOP-NOW initiative needs the trade union movement, because it is capable of putting force behind its words. Yes, pupils, students and apprentices have already gained strength by uniting in this initiative, but if the movement is to advance, it must be conscious of the necessity of an alliance with the trade union movement and in the last analysis it must be conscious of the need for a new government with new policies.
The fact that the conference was so big, was well over all expectations, Christina Celeste, chairmen of EEO, the apprentices organization, said in her speech. The STOP-NOW initiative is now working towards the day of action, on October 5, and judging from the atmosphere that surrounded the conference, the scene is set for an active struggle for better conditions in the schools and for education for everyone. And the struggle is important, because as Per Schultz Jrgensen said, the STOP-NOW initiative also sends a signal a signal to the rest of Danish society, that the debate and the struggle for a better society is on the agenda. A struggle for the everyday life of working people. A struggle that STOP-NOW must be a part of.
Denmark, September, 2004.
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_repo...onference04.htm (http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_report_conference04.htm)
If you follow the link you can see the pictures
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:25
And the leaflet we made for the conference
Editorial statement of Socialistisk Standpunkt:
Pupils, students and apprentices fight back:
The struggle against cut-backs must be intensified!
This editorial statement was distributed as a pamphlet in hundreds of copies at the recent student conference in Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 22.
The politicians and the media are trying again and again to portray young people as lazy, spoiled and careless. But we are not! That is, among other things, what we are proving today by assembling to discuss our education.
We are assembling because the conditions in the schools around the country have deteriorated; the size of classes is rising, the schools are becoming dilapidated, study grants are reduced, school training (which helps apprentices) is cut, the quota system (which serves to reduce the importance of grades, when students want to go to university) is wound up, and so on. Cutbacks are permanently on the order of the day now we have had enough!
The bourgeois government
While the bourgeois government has been in power, cutbacks have definitely been on the order of the day. But the government is not only cutting back, it is also trying to change the education system in different ways. Among other things, it is working to promote education for the elite instead of broad education for everyone, and it is trying to run the schools as enterprises.
But the bourgeois are actually doing what the bourgeois must do. The bourgeois parties represent the interests of the upper class and big business. The rich have lots of money to pay for a good education for their children, so they are indifferent to the demands of a good education for everyone.
We cannot accept a development towards a school system for the elite. Education is a basic human right. Today it is a fact that kids often follow the pattern of their parents; the child of a craftsman becomes a craftsman, the child of an academic becomes an academic, and so on. We must stop a school-system where your future in many cases is determined already from your birth.
How can we use this conference?
This conference is a step forward, because all groups of youth are present. Pupils, apprentices and students best (and only) weapon is to unite and fight together. Through national demonstrations on the opening day of parliament, October 5, pupils, students and apprentices will be able to express their dissatisfaction with the policies applied by the government, and maybe get some of the demands carried through. The first step must therefore be to mobilize as many pupils, students and apprentices as possible for these demonstrations. But we must not blindly believe that this automatically will result in concessions on all our demands and stop all the cutbacks. In the recent years, nearly all sorts of pupils and students have been on the streets and protested, some times all together and other times confined to the specific group of students, but nevertheless cutbacks have continued.
A conscious plan is necessary
A single day of action is of course a good thing, but is in itself unfortunately not enough to get the cutbacks stopped. A conscious plan must be made if the demands are to be met: a plan for an escalation and a widening of the struggle. First and foremost, the STOP-NOW initiative must be built as a permanent organization for all students, pupils and apprentices (at the moment there are different student unions specifically for each group of students).
Additionally, an alliance must be built with the trade union movement, and the workers parties; the Social-Democratic Party, the Socialist Peoples Party and the Unity-list, whose members are the only ones who have a genuine interest in an education system for everyone, and who have force to put behind words. But an alliance must be more than a bag of money and declarations of solidarity. An alliance must be an alliance of struggle for better welfare. The only way to achieve a better welfare system is with a new government. The welfare system and the education system are political questions, and that is why we young people cannot be apolitical. The trade unions have also begun to discuss the need for a new government. Recently, a conference was held with 700 shop stewards and representatives from the workers parties. Unfortunately, this meeting did not pass any plan of action to throw out the government due to the bad role of the leaders.
The STOP-NOW initiative must appeal for rank-and-file members of the unions to put pressure on their leaders to call for united action with mass demonstrations and strikes, in order to put down the bourgeois government and its policies of cutbacks.
A new government?
But a new government, in itself, is not the solution. We do not want a government like the one in the 90s composed of the Social-Democratic Party and the Radical Lefts (a small center-bourgeois party), which also made cutbacks on education.
We have no need for a government that is cutting back when the economy is badly off, but a government that is based upon the demands of the youth and the workers. In the last analysis, it is a question of who controls the economy. Enormous surplus exists in Danish firms and enterprises, but at the moment they are in the hands of a few individuals. That is why a programme against cutbacks necessarily must include the demand for a government that is ready to nationalize the big companies, so the enormous wealth in society can be used democratically for the benefit of the majority. In other words; a workers government carrying out socialist policies!
We fight for:
An end to all cutbacks in education, more money must be injected to the schools
Education for everyone
Students grants for everyone, at the same level as the minimum wage
Free admission to all higher educations (including university)
Placements for all apprentices
Abolition of all users fee
A health and safety at work act for all pupils, students and apprentices
A permanent organization jointly for all pupils, students and apprentices
A conscious plan for the continuation of the struggle
An alliance of struggle with the trade unions and the workers parties
A workers government on a socialist programme!
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_student_edito.htm
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:25
And the leaflet we made for the conference
Editorial statement of Socialistisk Standpunkt:
Pupils, students and apprentices fight back:
The struggle against cut-backs must be intensified!
This editorial statement was distributed as a pamphlet in hundreds of copies at the recent student conference in Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 22.
The politicians and the media are trying again and again to portray young people as lazy, spoiled and careless. But we are not! That is, among other things, what we are proving today by assembling to discuss our education.
We are assembling because the conditions in the schools around the country have deteriorated; the size of classes is rising, the schools are becoming dilapidated, study grants are reduced, school training (which helps apprentices) is cut, the quota system (which serves to reduce the importance of grades, when students want to go to university) is wound up, and so on. Cutbacks are permanently on the order of the day now we have had enough!
The bourgeois government
While the bourgeois government has been in power, cutbacks have definitely been on the order of the day. But the government is not only cutting back, it is also trying to change the education system in different ways. Among other things, it is working to promote education for the elite instead of broad education for everyone, and it is trying to run the schools as enterprises.
But the bourgeois are actually doing what the bourgeois must do. The bourgeois parties represent the interests of the upper class and big business. The rich have lots of money to pay for a good education for their children, so they are indifferent to the demands of a good education for everyone.
We cannot accept a development towards a school system for the elite. Education is a basic human right. Today it is a fact that kids often follow the pattern of their parents; the child of a craftsman becomes a craftsman, the child of an academic becomes an academic, and so on. We must stop a school-system where your future in many cases is determined already from your birth.
How can we use this conference?
This conference is a step forward, because all groups of youth are present. Pupils, apprentices and students best (and only) weapon is to unite and fight together. Through national demonstrations on the opening day of parliament, October 5, pupils, students and apprentices will be able to express their dissatisfaction with the policies applied by the government, and maybe get some of the demands carried through. The first step must therefore be to mobilize as many pupils, students and apprentices as possible for these demonstrations. But we must not blindly believe that this automatically will result in concessions on all our demands and stop all the cutbacks. In the recent years, nearly all sorts of pupils and students have been on the streets and protested, some times all together and other times confined to the specific group of students, but nevertheless cutbacks have continued.
A conscious plan is necessary
A single day of action is of course a good thing, but is in itself unfortunately not enough to get the cutbacks stopped. A conscious plan must be made if the demands are to be met: a plan for an escalation and a widening of the struggle. First and foremost, the STOP-NOW initiative must be built as a permanent organization for all students, pupils and apprentices (at the moment there are different student unions specifically for each group of students).
Additionally, an alliance must be built with the trade union movement, and the workers parties; the Social-Democratic Party, the Socialist Peoples Party and the Unity-list, whose members are the only ones who have a genuine interest in an education system for everyone, and who have force to put behind words. But an alliance must be more than a bag of money and declarations of solidarity. An alliance must be an alliance of struggle for better welfare. The only way to achieve a better welfare system is with a new government. The welfare system and the education system are political questions, and that is why we young people cannot be apolitical. The trade unions have also begun to discuss the need for a new government. Recently, a conference was held with 700 shop stewards and representatives from the workers parties. Unfortunately, this meeting did not pass any plan of action to throw out the government due to the bad role of the leaders.
The STOP-NOW initiative must appeal for rank-and-file members of the unions to put pressure on their leaders to call for united action with mass demonstrations and strikes, in order to put down the bourgeois government and its policies of cutbacks.
A new government?
But a new government, in itself, is not the solution. We do not want a government like the one in the 90s composed of the Social-Democratic Party and the Radical Lefts (a small center-bourgeois party), which also made cutbacks on education.
We have no need for a government that is cutting back when the economy is badly off, but a government that is based upon the demands of the youth and the workers. In the last analysis, it is a question of who controls the economy. Enormous surplus exists in Danish firms and enterprises, but at the moment they are in the hands of a few individuals. That is why a programme against cutbacks necessarily must include the demand for a government that is ready to nationalize the big companies, so the enormous wealth in society can be used democratically for the benefit of the majority. In other words; a workers government carrying out socialist policies!
We fight for:
An end to all cutbacks in education, more money must be injected to the schools
Education for everyone
Students grants for everyone, at the same level as the minimum wage
Free admission to all higher educations (including university)
Placements for all apprentices
Abolition of all users fee
A health and safety at work act for all pupils, students and apprentices
A permanent organization jointly for all pupils, students and apprentices
A conscious plan for the continuation of the struggle
An alliance of struggle with the trade unions and the workers parties
A workers government on a socialist programme!
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_student_edito.htm
Louis Pio
28th September 2004, 21:25
And the leaflet we made for the conference
Editorial statement of Socialistisk Standpunkt:
Pupils, students and apprentices fight back:
The struggle against cut-backs must be intensified!
This editorial statement was distributed as a pamphlet in hundreds of copies at the recent student conference in Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 22.
The politicians and the media are trying again and again to portray young people as lazy, spoiled and careless. But we are not! That is, among other things, what we are proving today by assembling to discuss our education.
We are assembling because the conditions in the schools around the country have deteriorated; the size of classes is rising, the schools are becoming dilapidated, study grants are reduced, school training (which helps apprentices) is cut, the quota system (which serves to reduce the importance of grades, when students want to go to university) is wound up, and so on. Cutbacks are permanently on the order of the day now we have had enough!
The bourgeois government
While the bourgeois government has been in power, cutbacks have definitely been on the order of the day. But the government is not only cutting back, it is also trying to change the education system in different ways. Among other things, it is working to promote education for the elite instead of broad education for everyone, and it is trying to run the schools as enterprises.
But the bourgeois are actually doing what the bourgeois must do. The bourgeois parties represent the interests of the upper class and big business. The rich have lots of money to pay for a good education for their children, so they are indifferent to the demands of a good education for everyone.
We cannot accept a development towards a school system for the elite. Education is a basic human right. Today it is a fact that kids often follow the pattern of their parents; the child of a craftsman becomes a craftsman, the child of an academic becomes an academic, and so on. We must stop a school-system where your future in many cases is determined already from your birth.
How can we use this conference?
This conference is a step forward, because all groups of youth are present. Pupils, apprentices and students best (and only) weapon is to unite and fight together. Through national demonstrations on the opening day of parliament, October 5, pupils, students and apprentices will be able to express their dissatisfaction with the policies applied by the government, and maybe get some of the demands carried through. The first step must therefore be to mobilize as many pupils, students and apprentices as possible for these demonstrations. But we must not blindly believe that this automatically will result in concessions on all our demands and stop all the cutbacks. In the recent years, nearly all sorts of pupils and students have been on the streets and protested, some times all together and other times confined to the specific group of students, but nevertheless cutbacks have continued.
A conscious plan is necessary
A single day of action is of course a good thing, but is in itself unfortunately not enough to get the cutbacks stopped. A conscious plan must be made if the demands are to be met: a plan for an escalation and a widening of the struggle. First and foremost, the STOP-NOW initiative must be built as a permanent organization for all students, pupils and apprentices (at the moment there are different student unions specifically for each group of students).
Additionally, an alliance must be built with the trade union movement, and the workers parties; the Social-Democratic Party, the Socialist Peoples Party and the Unity-list, whose members are the only ones who have a genuine interest in an education system for everyone, and who have force to put behind words. But an alliance must be more than a bag of money and declarations of solidarity. An alliance must be an alliance of struggle for better welfare. The only way to achieve a better welfare system is with a new government. The welfare system and the education system are political questions, and that is why we young people cannot be apolitical. The trade unions have also begun to discuss the need for a new government. Recently, a conference was held with 700 shop stewards and representatives from the workers parties. Unfortunately, this meeting did not pass any plan of action to throw out the government due to the bad role of the leaders.
The STOP-NOW initiative must appeal for rank-and-file members of the unions to put pressure on their leaders to call for united action with mass demonstrations and strikes, in order to put down the bourgeois government and its policies of cutbacks.
A new government?
But a new government, in itself, is not the solution. We do not want a government like the one in the 90s composed of the Social-Democratic Party and the Radical Lefts (a small center-bourgeois party), which also made cutbacks on education.
We have no need for a government that is cutting back when the economy is badly off, but a government that is based upon the demands of the youth and the workers. In the last analysis, it is a question of who controls the economy. Enormous surplus exists in Danish firms and enterprises, but at the moment they are in the hands of a few individuals. That is why a programme against cutbacks necessarily must include the demand for a government that is ready to nationalize the big companies, so the enormous wealth in society can be used democratically for the benefit of the majority. In other words; a workers government carrying out socialist policies!
We fight for:
An end to all cutbacks in education, more money must be injected to the schools
Education for everyone
Students grants for everyone, at the same level as the minimum wage
Free admission to all higher educations (including university)
Placements for all apprentices
Abolition of all users fee
A health and safety at work act for all pupils, students and apprentices
A permanent organization jointly for all pupils, students and apprentices
A conscious plan for the continuation of the struggle
An alliance of struggle with the trade unions and the workers parties
A workers government on a socialist programme!
http://www.marxist.com/Europe/denmark_student_edito.htm
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