Climate walkout. Are you allowing your high school student to attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine the outrage is students were encouraged to attend the pro-life march that happens every year?
Imagine if public school superintendents allowed "excused absences" for this event.

well, this is science-based, not faith-based.

Not really. There are just as many credible scientists who think you're all a bit crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend posted a video of his K and 2nd grader doing this, he was so proud. I thought it was so dumb. Why you'd take a kid to protest something they haven't even learned about, let alone get them tied up in political causes is such a ridiculous elitist DC thing to do.

what about the hundreds of thousands of kids who participated around the world? are they ridiculous and elitist? I think it's awesome to start conversations with kids about tough issues that will require their voices to effect (and hopefully sustain) change. I think you're underestimating kids and the impact of events like this. I still remember seeing my older sister go to marches when she was in HS and I was in elementary. taught me the importance of voice in a democracy.

What if you have no concept yet 1) what the climate is, 2) the science behind any of it changing, 3) what a democracy is?

I think for a high school kid it's great, maybe even middle. A second grader would be better served by just going to school and learning.

I would hope that someone would explain what was going on and why they were there. Lots of chances to have age appropriate conversations about that. the reopened dinosaur exhibit at the natural history museum sparked that conversation with my kids. It's like any topic. they might not dive into all the ins and outs, but if you want to, you can introduce big ideas to them. If you don't, you don't, but you don't have to assume people are being ridiculous and elitist just because they are parenting in a different way than you.

The outcome of this could also be a child who suffers from severe depression and anxiety brought on by a constant obsession with the issue, a la Greta Thornburg. This poor child is not well. We put too much pressure on our children.

[Anonymous]

Interesting to hear climate denial piping up in this thread.

Greta Thunberg is anything but depressed these days, have you
missed the zillions of recent photos of her smiling face?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting to hear climate denial piping up in this thread.

Greta Thunberg is anything but depressed these days, have you
missed the zillions of recent photos of her smiling face?

the denial is surprising. While I don't think we can say commitment to serious work is an indicator of depression, I caution anyone against diagnosing anyone's mental health based on what they see in speeches and photos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend posted a video of his K and 2nd grader doing this, he was so proud. I thought it was so dumb. Why you'd take a kid to protest something they haven't even learned about, let alone get them tied up in political causes is such a ridiculous elitist DC thing to do.

what about the hundreds of thousands of kids who participated around the world? are they ridiculous and elitist? I think it's awesome to start conversations with kids about tough issues that will require their voices to effect (and hopefully sustain) change. I think you're underestimating kids and the impact of events like this. I still remember seeing my older sister go to marches when she was in HS and I was in elementary. taught me the importance of voice in a democracy.

What if you have no concept yet 1) what the climate is, 2) the science behind any of it changing, 3) what a democracy is?

I think for a high school kid it's great, maybe even middle. A second grader would be better served by just going to school and learning.

I live smack dab in the middle of the country and teach pre- and primary school students. We’re neither “elite” nor DC-area residents.

One of my primary students missed school for the match in our town (which was well-attended). The rest of the students asked where she was, and sparked a great conversation about natural climate change, the things humans do to speed it up, and what individuals and groups can do to help slow the change. Every child in my class, whether they attended school that day or not, got an education about climate change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting to hear climate denial piping up in this thread.

Greta Thunberg is anything but depressed these days, have you
missed the zillions of recent photos of her smiling face?

I think there is a mid-point between "climate crises denial" and "global communist revolution" - being against the latter doesn't make one a supporter of the former.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine the outrage is students were encouraged to attend the pro-life march that happens every year?
Imagine if public school superintendents allowed "excused absences" for this event.

well, this is science-based, not faith-based.

Not really. There are just as many credible scientists who think you're all a bit crazy.

"Credible."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine the outrage is students were encouraged to attend the pro-life march that happens every year?
Imagine if public school superintendents allowed "excused absences" for this event.

well, this is science-based, not faith-based.

Not really. There are just as many credible scientists who think you're all a bit crazy.

Please, tell us more...

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. It’s not because I’m a climate change denier or don’t support efforts to address climate change. It’s because the protesters have no clear goal in mind. You have to have some sort of tangible thing you can point to for policy makers to do in order for a protest to have any chance at effecting change. Otherwise, you are just pitching a public fit and disrupting other people’s lives with no real purpose behind it. It’s the same problem I have with BLM and the Women’s Marches. Protesting in the last several years seems to be more about providing an emotional outlet to vent frustration than actually improve situations. It’s, therefore, pointless and ineffective for anyone except the individual protester. That’s not something I want my kids to be a part of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you imagine the outrage is students were encouraged to attend the pro-life march that happens every year?
Imagine if public school superintendents allowed "excused absences" for this event.

well, this is science-based, not faith-based.

I mean, scientifically speaking, life literally begins at conception...so....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not. It’s not because I’m a climate change denier or don’t support efforts to address climate change. It’s because the protesters have no clear goal in mind. You have to have some sort of tangible thing you can point to for policy makers to do in order for a protest to have any chance at effecting change. Otherwise, you are just pitching a public fit and disrupting other people’s lives with no real purpose behind it. It’s the same problem I have with BLM and the Women’s Marches. Protesting in the last several years seems to be more about providing an emotional outlet to vent frustration than actually improve situations. It’s, therefore, pointless and ineffective for anyone except the individual protester. That’s not something I want my kids to be a part of.

Marches are a really effective visibility and recruiting tool that can bring new people into sustained political action. In my city, local BLM actions helped build momentum around a proposed local ordinance for greater police accountability and transparency. A small group of activists had been working on the ordinance for years, but the protests brought in a larger, broader swath of supporters who showed up at meetings and contacted their local reps and the ordinance passed. Similarly, the women's march brought a lot of new people into local politics. I personally know at least 10 women who had been aware but not active in politics, but post-march they either ran for office or took on a significant campaign role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely not. It’s not because I’m a climate change denier or don’t support efforts to address climate change. It’s because the protesters have no clear goal in mind. You have to have some sort of tangible thing you can point to for policy makers to do in order for a protest to have any chance at effecting change. Otherwise, you are just pitching a public fit and disrupting other people’s lives with no real purpose behind it. It’s the same problem I have with BLM and the Women’s Marches. Protesting in the last several years seems to be more about providing an emotional outlet to vent frustration than actually improve situations. It’s, therefore, pointless and ineffective for anyone except the individual protester. That’s not something I want my kids to be a part of.

BLM has a clear set of goals that is developed and behind their mobilizations. You can read more on their website.

[Anonymous]

Many climate protestors carry signs with specific goals (e.g. ban fracking, tax carbon, extend nuclear plant licenses etc).
With a challenge of this complexity it is unrealistic that protestors will rally behind just one policy goal or that one policy
measure will be sufficient.