Student who led budget protest avoids suspension

THE 17-year-old Leaving Certificate student who hit the headlines after leading a mass protest out of his school during class hours will not be suspended for his actions — provided he does not launch another campaign.

On Tuesday the student at Moyle Park College in Clondalkin, Dublin, led up to 20 other pupils to the constituency office of Government chief whip and local TD John Curran.

The teenagers were protesting over the cuts detailed in the budget and were joined by other pupils from local girls school Coláiste Bríde. In the immediate aftermath Moyle Park College principal Aiden Clarke accused the protest leader of “not being amenable to any direction and behaviour” and taking part in actions which “resulted in a serious health and safety risk”.

Mr Clarke said a disciplinary meeting would be organised for Friday and that the pupil could be expelled or suspended.

However, after a public backlash over the comment — which included more than 2,000 people voicing their support for the teenager on Facebook and private support from some Moyle Park College teachers — Mr Clarke contacted the pupil on Thursday to inform him he would not be expelled.

The pupil was told the disciplinary meeting had been cancelled and that no further action would be taken on condition additional protests did not take place.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, the pupil said while he did not believe it was right to threaten someone with disciplinary action for something they believed was justified, he would agree to the move.

The student, who has been widely praised for his actions, added that while an alternative to protesting at Mr Curran’s constituency offices had been offered by his principal, this had involved asking students to “sit quietly in their class” as a “silent gesture”.

The pupil said this would not have been an acceptable compromise considering the seriousness of the budget.

A spokesperson for Moyle Park College did not respond to interview requests.