Politics at schools: Teachers to protest at work

Teachers will take their politics into the school as part of a ‘Teachers For Refugees’ campaign.

Lucy Honan, a history and English teacher at St Albans Secondary College, told Neil Mitchell she and many colleagues nation-wide plan to pose in schoolyard photos together holding placards and banners with slogans such as ‘Let them stay’.

‘We’ve decided to take this stand because it’s something that comes up very frequently for us as teachers,’ she said.

Neil: ‘[Students] will be part of it, in a sense?’

Ms Hanon: ‘Oh yeah. I mean, the intention is for everybody to know about it. I hope the kids do know about it, definitely.’

Neil: ‘Do you think it’s right to be using school grounds?’

Ms Hanon: ‘Yeah, I do. In a lot of ways we don’t get a choice. School grounds have been the battle ground over this.’

Ms Hanon wouldn’t rule out children becoming involved.

And later, she rejected the assertion that Australia’s bid to ‘Stop the boats’ was being done in an attempt to save lives.

Click play for the full, fiery exchange