KIDS WARNED OVER CLIMATE CHANGE ‘STRIKE’
Pupils told they’ll be truanting if they join UK protest
GLASGOW school pupils are being encouraged to walk out of class to join a climate change protest.
A UK-wide call to action was issued to coincide with the half-term holidays – but as Glasgow pupils return on Thursday, they will be marked as truanting if they take part in the ‘strike’.
SCHOOL pupils in Glasgow have been warned that if they ‘go on strike’ to join a climate change protest in the city centre they will be marked as truanting.
UK Youth Strike 4 Climate has organised a UK-wide call to action involving 38 towns and cities – including a demonstration outside Glasgow City Chambers from 11am on Friday.
In England, the event has been planned to coincide with half-term holidays but Glasgow’s pupils return to school on Thursday.
A council spokeswoman said: “Whilst we appreciate that our young people are passionate about the environment, we would consider this as we would any other absence from school.
“If pupils leave school during the day following registration then we would consider them to be truanting if they have left without parental permission.
“We have no indication that young people in Glasgow will be participating in this event.
“The young people will return to school on Thursday and it is our expectation that they will attend school.”
The spokeswoman said there were plenty of other ways for city pupils to express concern about the damage being done to the environment and cited Sunnyside Primary School’s work.
The Sunnyside Ocean Defenders have carried out a successful campaign against the use of plastic straws, an item with serious negative environmental impact.
Their work has seen big businesses pledge to use recyclable paper straws instead.
The council spokeswoman added: “There are many other different ways for young people to express their opinions and to effect change such as the very active Ocean Defenders from Sunnyside Primary School.”
A statement on the UK Youth Strike 4 Climate event Facebook page reads: “The world’s youth are waking up.
“Millions of young people are realising it’s now or never and are ready to take direct action on the climate crisis and ecological catastrophe.
“In collaboration with Youth Strike 4 Climate, we will gather for a climate strike.
“Whether you are at school, college or university, go on strike with us on Friday, February 15.”
Organisers say the demonstrations are coinciding with spring half-term holidays in some regions, but schools which fall under Glasgow City Council’s remit will be back on Thursday.
Last October a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report set out baldly that our way of life must change drastically if we are to reverse the impact of global warming before it’s too late.
In response, groups such as Extinction Rebellion and UK Youth Strike 4 Climate have sprung up to call for radical action from government and business leaders as well as asking consumers to make better choices.
In England, thousands of school children are expected to absent themselves from classes, leaving head teachers with a dilemma.