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Haverstock pupils who worked on the magazine
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Head hits out at knife culture
A HEADTEACHER has spoken out about today’s knife culture.
In an interview with students at Haverstock School, John Dowd told them he was concerned that serious crimes are considered “okay”. “(The stabbings) worry me.” he said. “I feel we are developing a culture where hard acts of violence are considered okay. I am worried as a father as much as a teacher about the stabbings that happened in Camden recently.”
The interview is published today (Thursday) in Random, a magazine written and produced by a group of 15 and 16-year-olds for their peers. The students will hold a party tonight at 6pm to celebrate its launch.
Mr Dowd suggested a way of combating attitudes to weapons was to clamp down on the sale of knives, as well as police having “clear sanctions” about children carrying knives.
The 27-page magazine also features debates on hoodies and free travel for under 16s.
In a piece about teenage parenthood an unnamed mother advises youngsters: “Expect (having a baby) to be really, really hard, but don’t let it stop from doing things like going to college.” Sarah Samson, 15, from Mornington Crescent, co-wrote the piece. She said: “It gives them advice from people who have experienced things.”
Pupil Emily Edwards, 16, said: “I’d do it all over again. I enjoyed the writing and being in a group.”
The 10-strong team of girls and boys spent six lessons working on self-awareness, covering confidence issues and raising their aspirations, before they got started on the magazine, which was made possible with money from Camden as part of the Progress, Achieve, Continue in Education project (PACE).
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