Staken!

   Today I entered the world of political activism, with my first protest! Students from all over Holland came to Amsterdam to show our disapproval of a new law that would require students to have  more hours of school per week, in total making the required number of hours 1040 per year. But there would be no classes in those hours because there isn't enough money to pay teachers. Leaving the only the option of sitting in a study hall with nothing to do once we've finished our homework in much less time than the extra KWT uren plus any other KWT hours you already had to make. This poor decision from a group of people clearly seeing only numbers on paper and not actually thinking what it means for students and schools, prompted the student run organization LAKS  to plan the demonstration, as a way to let the parliament know what it really means for us!

A Google translated version of the LAKS memo for why the demonstration took place:

   Compulsory 'house hours "in the cafeteria? English lessons from your science teacher? Is your class in this way confined indoors? If the Minister is starting next year!

Tuesday, November 29, the House decided that starting next year students in school longer have to sit. But the schools are already too few teachers at all hours a competent teacher for the class to turn. That problem solved by the schools 'hours keep birds indoors' it. That are required attendance hours in which you learn nothing and at best can make some homework.

In 2007 saw 20,000 students this is not already sitting. We then stopped, and still keep poultry indoors, the hours are entered. We want good lessons from good teachers, because of confinement, we are not smarter. This is why the students on December 21 LAKS that go on strike again. We will show the Minister that we will not be confinement!

   The mottos of the demonstration were quality over quantity, and Stop more confinement (referencing to being basically caged in school for hours able to do nothing of importance). This was also said with We aren't chickens or rabbits (again referencing being caged up with nothing to do). Jet, Loïs, Wouter and then when Wouter didn't want the vest, eventually myself wore the blue vests so that we could keep our rabbit hutch. Here are photos, videos, and links from the day: NOS Article Video and Photos