Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Pupil strike on Friday over climate change.

248 replies

justasking111 · 10/02/2019 14:20

DS said on Friday the pupils at his school might walk out on Friday over climate change. I did not realise at the time it was a national thing. Not impressed with this, what are the children going to do for three hours. We have had nothing official from the school. Has anyone?

www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/08/global-school-strikes-over-climate-change-head-to-the-uk

OP posts:
Goldenbear · 15/02/2019 09:03

We have had a letter from the head about it as there is a protest in our city. He has highlighted concerns about the safety of it as there is no publicised route available bit has left the decision to the parents. It has also been stated that it is unathorised absence.

GingerRogers84 · 15/02/2019 09:16

It's their future. They may be powerless now but they won't be in a few years time.

InMySpareTime · 15/02/2019 09:16

DD asked me at 7am if she could go on the march. I said no, on the grounds that though she is clearly passionate about it, if it was that important to her she'd have told me with more notice.
She went to school but grudgingly.

Orchiddingme · 15/02/2019 09:19

InMySpareTime don't worry there's another one in a month's time so there will be plenty of notice:)

ralfeesmum · 15/02/2019 11:09

Odd that this "strike" should coincide with the very beginning of the half-term hols........c'mon kiddies - it's a bluddy thin excuse for a bit of bunking off!

spinabifidamom · 15/02/2019 11:47

Is this a real protest or not?

Sethis · 15/02/2019 11:56

Literally anything that is done to prevent the destruction of the planet is a good thing.

This raises awareness and hopefully they'll remember it as they grow up and move into positions of power themselves. They can't fuck it up any worse than the relics of the 80s that are currently in charge.

madamefraser · 15/02/2019 11:58

spinabifidamom what makes you think it's not ? It's been well publicised.

Tanith · 15/02/2019 12:22

"Sensible student protesters will stay for afternoon registration and then walk out, so being officially present."

That's not sensible; it's irresponsible and deceitful.

If there's a fire, the fire brigade will have to risk their lives looking for them.
Happened at a factory near where I used to live. 2 firemen died looking for staff who had skived off.

HotChocolateLover · 15/02/2019 12:24

DS was desperate to do this but had no idea what climate change actually was 🤦‍♀️ I think you can guess what my answer was to him wanting to join the protest 😂😂

Pandsbear · 15/02/2019 12:42

I have just been near one of the listed protests. Lots of older teenagers with placards and posters and making their opinions known. Good on them. Plenty of parents with younger children as well.
The secondary school nearby has said it cannot ok pupils attending however if they have a signed letter to hand in at the gate as they left they could leave the school premises. It would be marked down as an unauthorised absence.

Sweepingcalamity · 15/02/2019 12:49

Good for them! They want to raise awareness of this issue as collective governments don't seem to be taking it seriously. It's their future that is at stake after all.

My daughter attended one of these protests last week (we live abroad) and her school dealt with it very well. They allowed students to attend but they had to write an essay (answering three different questions) on at least four sides of A4, explaining their motivations for attending.

grumiosmum · 15/02/2019 12:54

This is a global movement that is growing every day.

Our children are the ones who will be affected by climate change and yet they have no vote, no say.

I 100% support them, and I'm delighted to see that today's strikes seem to be getting the publicity they deserve.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47242477

HollowTalk · 15/02/2019 13:04

Did anyone see the Scottish schoolchildren aged 16 who were on a TV programme about the Scottish referendum? I thought they were really interested in what was happening - it's their future. Don't underestimate young people. Some won't be interested, but others really will be.

WorkingItOutAsIGo · 15/02/2019 13:07

Our (private) school wrote to us saying that parents could apply for permission for their DC to attend and they would authorise the absence! But they wanted to know the DC would be adequately supervised. I was amazed by their approach but thought it very sensible.

KissingInTheRain · 15/02/2019 13:11

What utter nonsense this whole thing is.

It’s not being done for the environment. It’s being done for an afternoon’s skiving and a natter over a bag of chips.

ThereIsNoSuchThingAsRoadTax · 15/02/2019 13:25

The dismissive attitude of posters on this thread is saddening. A lot of children are rightly worried about the complete failure of successive governments to take any meaningful action to prevent the catastrophic effects that climate change will have on the world. It is our children who will ultimately suffer the most because of this failure. Unfortunately, there is little that they can do about it other than try to get people's attention and that is the purpose of the strike. To dismiss them as skivers says more about you than it does about them.

VeganSteve · 15/02/2019 13:44

Good for them. Up the revolution! Grin

hilbobaggins · 15/02/2019 14:09

Jesus this is stupid.

1Redacted1 · 15/02/2019 14:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

megletthesecond · 15/02/2019 14:19

Good for them.
If DD didn't want to keep her 100% attendance then we could have gone to Winchester.

Twooter · 15/02/2019 14:27

I think the school someone mentioned who made the pupils answer questions about it hAve the best idea. A lot of teens I know are vocal about climate change but not quick to do anything to help, ( that doesn’t have hidden benefits for them like an afternoon off)

grumiosmum · 15/02/2019 14:40

It’s being done for an afternoon’s skiving and a natter over a bag of chips.

Really?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47250424

#Schools4ClimateAction

Theimpossiblegirl · 15/02/2019 14:44

My dds attended the march in Bristol. They had to travel miles on public transport and will have to catch up on missed work. I fully support the stand they are trying to make. Only 4 from their school went that I know of.
I wouldn't have been happy for them to miss school and stay home however.

Springisallaround · 15/02/2019 14:54

My children have attended, just got back. They are exhilarated. We have talked about our own actions and how we can do more as well as protesting. It's not an either/or situation.