Fury as headteachers’ union BACKS pupil strike that will see thousands of schoolchildren walk out of lessons next week in a protest over climate change
- Thousands of pupils are expected to walk out of class for three hours on Friday
- Headteachers union ‘applauded’ students for acting on an ‘informed decision’
- UK Youth Strike 4 Climate currently has planned strikes in 38 cities across UK
A nationwide school strike over climate change has been ‘applauded’ by the head teachers’ union, leaving many furious.
The mass walkout called UK Youth Strike 4 Climate currently has students in 38 cities and towns across the country planning to join them on Friday’s protest.
It is expected thousands of pupils from places including Cardiff, Brighton, Exeter and Glasgow will down their books for three hours, reports the Sunday Express.
Thousands of students are expected to walk out of school in at least 32 places across the UK on Friday in a strike over climate change
This isn’t the first time that young people have coordinated action against climate change and the UK strikes have taken inspiration from a 16-year-old Swedish activist.
The National Association of Head Teachers has welcomed the day and ‘applauded’ students for being prepared to take action.
A spokesman said: ‘When you get older pupils making an informed decision, that kind of thing needs to be applauded.
‘Society makes leaps forward when people are prepared to take action.
‘Schools encourage students to develop a wider understanding of the world around them, a day of activity like this could be an important and valuable life experience.’
However some have been quick to critisise the protest calling it ‘ridiculous’ and ‘just truanting’.
Toby Young, journalist and former director of the New Schools Network, said: ‘Calling this a strike is ridiculous. What are they going to do? Down pencils?
The UK Youth Strike 4 Climate event was organised on social media and encourages all pupils whether at school, college, or university to join in on Friday
‘This is just truanting. For the NAHT to condone it is just a shocking dereliction of duty.’
Former primary school teacher and Tory MP William Wragg said: ‘I would not encourage a walk out, it’s far more fruitfull to learn about climate change in school.’
Education campaigner Margaret Morissey OBE said she was pleased to see children taking action but that ‘we need to get out of the culture that … you go on strike if you don’t get your own way.’
Writing on their Facebook page, the UK Youth Strike 4 Climate group explained the reasons behind their action, saying: ‘The World’s Youth are waking up.
‘Millions of young people are realising it’s now or never and are now taking direct action on the climate crisis and ecological catastrophe.
‘Whether you are at school, college or uni, go on strike on the Friday 15th February.
‘For some this falls on half term; join the protest anyway, with youth from across the world.’
The children’s climate change movement started last year when 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg started Fridays for Future.
She now strikes every Friday to protest the lack of effective climate legislation on a governmental level with many students across Europe following suit.
Last November 15,000 Australian pupils left their classes over concerns about the planet, reports the Sunday Express.
As well as Australia, there has also been strikes in Germany, Switzerland, Canada and Japan.
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