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Brexit-Online oder die trügerische Hoffnung der Jugend
Einsichten und Perspektiven 2 | 16
How do the staff and your students feel about the reactions
from continental Europe?
I imagine my views are fairly typical amongst staff, although
I am perhaps more interested than most. Students are
clearly 75% in favour of the EU, with the older stu-
dents being more in favour. Interestingly some of my
British Asian students have spoken about their parents
voting ‘leave’! Despite being immigrants or children
of immigrants, they might perceive that there is threat
from more recent immigrants (Romanian and Bulgar-
ian). They might also feel that UK immigration policy
should favour commonwealth citizens over EU ones. The
former Empire is clearly a more significant factor in the
UK than in Germany.
Will the British withdrawal from Europe have any effect on
Henry VIII School as such?
Difficult to say! The Canada tour that left today, will have
less spending money due to the pound/dollar exchange
rate. Future school trips could be affected too. We do get
some students coming to us from EU countries and even
China/South Korea. The school becomes better value
with a weaker pound. Despite these negatives and the UK
seeking more distance with the EU, I strongly believe that
the school will continue to develop its links with the Euro-
pean and wider global community. We are an inclusive
and cosmopolitan body, and nothing will change that!
Nick Meynell, Head of Business Studies and Economics, Henry VIII School
Coventry