An undisclosed number of children at Sandwell, West Midlands, were caned after a demonstration that led to three youths being arrested at West Bromwich.
More than 2,600 children at Telford, Salop, will not resume school until Monday. The county education department, after talks with head teachers and the local police, decided to close the schools for a “cooling-off” period because of disturbance involving the pupils of three schools.
Mr K. Pattinson, head of one of the schools, Abraham Darby, said: “In my view television coverage, particularly from the Birmingham area, exacerbated the situation and encouraged the children.”
In Staffordshire three leading members of the county council made a joint protest to teacher that they were causing hardship to pupils and some parents.