To think this is not an activity in primary school

That wouldn't work for the design technology part of the curriculum, though. It's one of those activities that takes in multiple aspects under one theme - how it should be taught, not siloed into 'Geography' or 'Persuasive writing' or 'Citizenship'.

I agree with this. A T shirt shaped sheet of paper to be displayed, for example. I'm guessing the teacher wanted to experiment with different media like fabric paint but they could have used old sheeting or curtain lining.

Designing a t-shirt print is probably a way of squeezing a design and technology task into a geography topic. It is appalling that parents are being asked to provide a t-shirt to be inevitably unnecessarily added to landfill and a short changing of both topics educationally.
I would be very cross about the whole thing.

Equally it may not. There is a TV advert at the moment with primary age children 'protesting' about wasting water by telling people to have shorter showers and use a watering can instead of a hose. I imagine it will be more on this level.

Poor teacher tries to plan something a bit fun and interesting! Give them a break OP.

Brilliant. All scientific and not political.

The word "protest" seems to be the OP's child's word though so I don't think anyone should get fixated on that.

The teacher probably means an awareness campaign rather than any kind of protest against specific policies or political parties. I think teachers are generally well aware of their responsibility to remain neutral around children when it comes to politics.

In what way was it funny?
I'm not being facetious, I'm just wondering why my post is funny.

Climate change is scientific.
How society responds to it is political.

Teaching about climate change in schools is good.
Teaching politics in schools is good,
Practicing political actions (protests) as a way to teach about climate change is not appropriate for primary school. Yes, I know they didn't go on a protest, but that's what the lesson was about it seems.

Lol I was taken to greenham common on many occasions as a small child

Well it is different, because it requires parents to buy clothing that they don’t need and won’t use.

Which makes a farce of the whole thing, don’t you think?

I hardly think climate change is a political controversy. Only nutcases dont believe it is a real issue. It is taught later on too. Also this is a way of introducing children to rights (and responsibilities).

Sorry are you suggesting they are protesting facts in schools now?

Climate change is a fact. It can’t be protested. People protest about policies, which involve beliefs and opinions. Again, the word “protest” implies that it is not about “raising awareness” otherwise the wording would be “awareness campaign” not “protest”.

YABVU quite ridiculous in fact

I don't disagree with sentiment or the political slant. But I do disagree with expecting parents to purchase a T shirt. They could have a designed a T shirt logo on paper or a placard. No need for more disposable clothing contributing to landfill.

@ArabellaScott one of my kids liked to challenge everything he was taught.

When the class was told to write a piece on global warming (as the terminology was back then), he negotiated with his teacher and was allowed to research and write about global cooling instead.

Agree with PP, the topic itself is perfectly fine - wanting to do something about climate change crosses party politics surely and is about being a responsible global citizen?

I think it's schools' duty to teach kids about climate change and how they can help & play their part in this crisis plus educated children can influence their parents' choices too by encouraging recycling etc.

But the medium of a t shirt is odd unless it's for an assembly or presentation of some kind?

I understand they will not actually be going to a protest, I never suggested that.
A protest t.shirt may well have a political lean to it.

A sheet of A4 paper has minimal environmental waste compared to the materials and manufacturing of a t shirt. The hypocrisy of this activity! I'd be livid!! 😂

When I was at school in the 90s we learnt about the climate and pollution. We made hats about pollution and sustainable energy, and wrote poems. If anything, it’s sad that it’s still an ongoing issue 30 years later. I doubt they are going to actually send primary kids to a protest are they, it’s just a way to engage them when they’re young. In 30 years they will probably remember the T-shirts

It's no different from designing a poster, or writing a fictional persuasive letter to someone about climate change.

I'd be annoyed at this too, more from the POV of wasting clothes to make the point, which is ridiculously counter productive. Have you pointed that out to the teacher?

This is what I’d be furious about. I take great lengths to be conscious about consumption, particularly about clothes and the impact on landfill, the planet, the environment and the living conditions of other humans who are impacts by the volume of waste.

Increasing this to teach children about the environment is so important wasteful and massively misses the point.

They may as well had a fossil fuel bonfire to raise money for environmental causes.

About 35 years ago I was asked to stand up in class and read the environmental rap I had been asked to write about the saving the planet from the greenhouse effect. I can still remember some of it. 😄

Unfortunate typo in your opening sentence. I was trying to figure out where they would get a white tv and what they would do with the tv in school.