Hardly surprising for readers of this blog but an overwhelming majority of you support those young people who walked out of school to protest over climate inaction; of 341 respondents, 95.6% (326) support the ‘strike’ and 4.4% (15) do not.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson was reported as saying, rather unwisely I thought;
Everybody wants young people to be engaged in the issues that affect them most so that we can build a brighter future for all of us,
but it is important to emphasise that disruption increases teacher’s workloads and wastes lesson time that teachers have carefully prepared for.That time is crucial for young people precisely so that they can develop into the top scientists, engineers and advocates that we need to help tackle this problem.
reported on Sky News https://news.sky.com/story/theresa-may-criticises-pupils-missing-school-to-protest-over-climate-change-11638238
I agree that climate change is a major issue of our times and of the future that the youth will see more of than will the aged, so that colours my view, but I was at least as cheered by the action as the subject of the action. At least, I hope I would have voted the same way in the poll if the action had been in favour of ignoring climate change. Hmmm, would I?
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Had the target for these kids been the millions of tons of plastic tipped into the ocean, or the millions of tons of toxic chemicals tipped onto the land, or the thousands of square miles of rain forest destroyed, or the thousands of albatrosses killed by tuna fishermen (I could go on), I would not have been one of the 15 who voted “no!”
Dick – thanks.
I’m familiar with this argument about the drastic effect of losing a day’s schooling but it never seems to apply when the slightest sprinkling of snow shuts the school. Maybe when that happens teachers should give up a day’s holiday in the summer to make up for the time lost.
On the other hand if the teachers supported the strike and it made a difference to the climate maybe in time we’d get more snow and they’d get more time off.
Gary – I liked that comment!
If only more people recognised the enormous educational value of real life experiences like this.
May is an expert on wasting time so she should know.
The loss of (at most) a day’s school will make absolutely no difference whatsoever to any child’s education. Compare this to the cuts this wretched government has made to education which has had a really detrimental effect on children’s learning. Bunch of hypocrites.
I fully support their actions. Its important that young people are heard. My son has been raising environmental issues for a long time.
lianne – thank you – and good for him!
In the series, Back in Time for School, for the ’70s, there were some strikes by pupils, so it’s not new, and it seems they did have some effect. Hope it does this time, too!
I’ve been both inspired and made furious by the strikes. I’d far rather talk to a 15 year old about climate change than a 50 year old.
There has been some really great support – the academic community, the Guardian – and, actually, much of the media – and Jeremy Corbyn who gave great support, recognising the importance of what children are protesting about.
School leadership has disgraced itself – patronising and completely missing the point – yes there are safeguarding issues but they could have sorted them as so many brilliant parents did. And, yes there is an educational opportunity here – but it is the educators, not the children for whom the opportunity is greatest. There is the consolation that whilst children may get into trouble at school at least 200 academics will see that blot on their records as a positive in taking them on as university students.
But the greatest disgrace goes to Downing Street who basically said ‘you should go to school so you can grow up to be a fully qualified scientist, who we’ll then ignore – alongside the 200 present day academics supporting you’.
That within humanity there is always some common ground if you search hard could not be better expressed than in my complete agreement with Giles’ comment !