|
|
 |
| |
Acland Burghley pupils (left to right) Luke Woollard, 14, Sonia Paganuzzi, 15, and Hattie Brock, 15, get in some early questions before the great inquisition proper starts in Camden’s Council Chamber |
And another thing Pupils take on seasoned politicians
THE annual politician firing squad better known as Camden’s Youth Question Time – when youngsters line up to grill representatives from the different political parties – went off with its usual bang on Friday.
There is usually one member of the panel facing the questions– always made up of parties who have seats on the council – who comes in for some extra stick from the school pupils, and this year it was the turn of Conservative councillor Keith Sedgwick.
The youngsters took turns to tackle him over alleged Tory plans to raise student tuition fees. Cllr Sedgwick told them he hadn’t heard of any such thing.
They cited claims that the shadow education secretary David Willetts wanted to double the tuition fee to £7,000 a year if Tories were elected.
Natalie Howe, 17, of Haverstock School, said: “You’re all saying how important education is for young people and that you want to support us, but then why do you want to raise the tuition fees. That’s really putting me off going to university.”
Cllr Sedgwick came in for further trouble over his description of youngsters on buses as “hoodies”. The audience retaliated, saying they often felt discriminated against and stigmatised.
The panel were also put in their place by the youngsters for constantly interrupting each other.
If anyone knows the importance of putting up your hand and waiting your turn, its school pupils, and they weren’t shy in passing that knowledge on. |
 |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
