Michael Newman, a science and active citizenship teacher, has worked at A.S.Neill's Summerhill School over a period of 21 years. He set-up the Save Summerhill children's committee, in 1999 to 2000, to save the school from closure by the Government and its Inspectors. This committee became the External Affairs Committee lobbying for children's rights. He has been secretary and treasurer of the Children's Rights Alliance for England, and is a trustee of StudentVoice.