Schools out!


The hidden history of Britain’s school students strikes


Michael Lavalette & Stephen Cunningham, 300 pages, £12.99


In this fascinating study, Cunningham and Lavalette trace the history of school student strikes in Britain from 1889 to the present, arguing that they are far more common than previously thought. Co-author Michael Lavalette told Socialist Worker that he was “astonished” at how many have taken place.


“There’s hardly a year in the 20th century when there’s not a school strike somewhere in Britain,” he said. “If you look at the history books, that’s just not acknowledged.”


Schools out! says that there have been school student strikes “for as long as we have had compulsory education”. In England and Wales this means from 1870. It traces the inspiring history of school student strikes of the last 100 years, from the Children’s Rebellion of 1889 through the sixties and the 1972 pupil power strikes to more recent action. 


Highly recommended for students, parents and teachers. 


The “Schools out!” review was contributed by the Bookmarks socialist bookshop. 


Order online at https://bookmarksbookshop.co.uk