Pupils

`misled'
into YTS protest
HUNDREDS of children from two Catholic Schools near Liverpool went on strike last week in protest against Government plans to cut the supplementary benefit of young people who refuse to join the Youth Training Scheme.
The head teachers of both schools — St Gregory's and St Kevin's comprehensives in Kirkby — said this week that most of the children had been misled by outsiders into joining demonstrations last Thursday and Friday about which they knew little. They have since discouraged pupils from joining a national strike planned for yesterday, which was expected to include rallies organised by the Youth 'trade Union Rights Campaign.
Last week's protest ended in trouble when children from two other schools marched with girls from St Gregory's and boys from St Kevins, into the town centre, resulting in the arrest of 14 children, including two from St Kevin's.
The "Easter rising", said St Kevin's headmaster, Ken Masters, was a "lark" as far as most of the children were concerned. They left school as a result of being handed leaflets headlined "Young socialists No to YTS. Fight back".
Yesterday's national strike was expected to attract thousands and was led in Liverpool by Terry Field, Labour, MP for Liverpool Broad Green. This week he condemned the "slave labour" of the YTS, which he said offered little training at low pay and frequently amounted to young people "stacking shelves, sweeping floors and making tea".