The Hillsborough tragedy was one of English football’s darkest days. 96 football supporters went to a football match in Sheffield on 15 April 1989 and never returned home. The death tally rose to 97 last year when Andrew Devine lost his life at the age of 55, after suffering life-changing injuries as a result of the disaster.
The horrific scenes and details that emerged from the horror at Hillsborough Stadium has scarred the city of Liverpool for 31 years and still the families of the victims are still hunting for justice.
The disaster is a key piece of history on Merseyside and it will soon be added to school curriculums in the area after a proposal was unanimously agreed on by the city council.
Primary and secondary schools will have dedicated assemblies for the disaster on “Hillsborough Day” which will be held on the nearest Friday to the anniversary. Children will receive lessons regarding the subsequent cover up and search for justice by the families of those lost.
Liverpool City Council said: “We commend survivors and the families of the 97 fans who lost their lives as a result of the Hillsborough disaster for their three-decade campaign for justice.
"Council also notes that Kevin Sampson's recent drama for ITV, Anne - considered a masterpiece by many - has highlighted once again the fact that, despite the ninety-seven having been unlawfully killed, to date no individuals or organisations have been held accountable for their deaths".
It is vital that the young people of Liverpool are educated on this avoidable catastrophe. It is a topic that is etched into the very fabric of the city and will never be forgotten. ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ has never had a stronger meaning and it is only fair that the memory of the 97 supporters is kept alive. This new initiative within education will help preserve that memory for years to come.
West Derby MP Ian Byrne was the councillor who submitted the motion to the council, and he was delighted with the result. He tweeted: “Humbled and proud that my motion in support of an annual Hillsborough Day along with lessons on the disaster, the cover-up and the long fight for justice in our schools has today been passed by Liverpool City Council unopposed and with cross-party support.”
This was the moment @IanByrneMP got a standing ovation from @lpoolcouncil meeting last night after his Hillsborough Day motion was unanimously passed by councillors #JFT97 #CapitalReports
The people of Liverpool will be pleased to see the younger generations being taught about the terrible events that unfolded over three decades ago, and the injustice that the grieving families have faced since.
Liverpudlian sport icons have expressed their support of the motion being passed. Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler is glad to see the tragic story become a part of education in the area. He told The Sportsman: “[It’s] brilliant for all concerned. Certainly people in Liverpool know the full story, now it's about shaping the future generations in terms of knowledge and revealing the big picture."
Boxer Anthony Fowler meanwhile said: “[I] think it’s brilliant, it’s important now it’s getting close to the 35-year mark. A lot of people will stop talking about it and the young generation who are not football mad may lose touch of the true facts surrounding the whole thing.
“What the years after that day showed is how good the people of our city are and how we stick together it’s a lot more than a tragedy at a football stadium now - it’s how a city took on a corrupt government and police force to prove the true events and get justice for the families of everyone involved that day.”
Mixed martial artist Molly McCann told The Sportsman: “I think it’s so important to teach your own about the history to either educate the youth on the downfalls or the mistakes we have made, so as to not make them again. Or when we have been abused, cheated, denied basic rights and down right taken the p*ss out of and paid the ultimate price of loss of life.
“I’m very proud of this city and the fact Hillsborough will now be taught to our youth! Justice for the 97!”
Though a heart-breaking tragedy, the subject would be well worth teaching in schools nationwide. This is a huge day for the city of Liverpool, but they should not be alone in educating young people about one of the most harrowing events this nation has ever seen.
