ABC Podcasts
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Kids of Liberty
Kids of Liberty
Kids of Liberty
Tuesday 4th June 2024
Join Marty Smiley as he recounts his teenage rebellion against high canteen prices in 2009 Melbourne, forming the 'Kids of Liberty'.
28 minutes
Inspiring
Empowering
Informative
Hopeful
Educational
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Get the buttons here!The Muffin Rebellion: Marty Smiley's High School Stand
Episode Overview
- Inspired by history class, Marty Smiley leads a protest against canteen price hikes
- Forms the 'Kids of Liberty' group with friends and history teacher, Mr Doyle
- Negotiates with school authorities, suggesting meal deals to combat price increases
- Reflects on the power of people coming together and standing up for their beliefs
- Lessons learned about activism, compromise, and the unexpected impact of student movements
It was a win, but a bit of a weird one. All these years later, what did the Kids of Liberty's victory really mean? For Jack and I, I think it taught us a lot about being an adult. I think it was probably my first realization of the power of people, you know, and going, oh, if you just kind of all come together and have an opinion and share an opinion and put it forward. Like, people are going to listen and kind of take it seriously, probably even more seriously than you thought.
Picture this: it's 2009, MySpace is all the rage, and a 17-year-old Marty Smiley is about to shake things up at his Melbourne high school. Inspired by his history lessons on the American Revolution, Marty decides he's had enough of the outrageous muffin prices at the school canteen. So, what does he do? He channels his inner revolutionary and stages a boycott. With his friends and the ever-supportive Mr Doyle, their history teacher, Marty forms the 'Kids of Liberty'.
This rag-tag group of teenage rebels takes a stand against the canteen's price hikes, and what follows is nothing short of a mini-revolution. Marty looks back on this quirky yet significant chapter of his life, sharing how a simple act of defiance taught him about unity, negotiation, and the power of standing up for what's right. If you're in the mood for a story that's equal parts humorous and inspiring, this episode is a must-listen.