When New Westminster students walk out of class and hit the streets to protest in favour of action on the climate emergency, they will likely be doing so with the blessing of the school board – as long as they have permission from their parents.
On Friday, students will be joining a global movement of “climate strikers,” bringing their climate concerns out of the classroom and into the streets. Student climate strikes, also commonly known as Fridays for Future, began in late 2018, inspired by young Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
After a break over the summer, students around the world began striking again recently, including a major event on Sept. 20, and another major strike is planned for Sept. 27.
New West Secondary students are expected to join the final strike of Sept. 27, and a motion from school board Chair Mark Gifford suggested the school board endorse the strike.
“Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time, and an important priority for students, teachers and staff of New Westminster Schools,” reads Gifford’s motion. “Students invite everyone to hear and amplify calls for urgent leadership and action on climate justice, and to address the severity of the climate emergency we face.”
With that in mind, Gifford’s motion called for the school board to excuse any high school student who submits a permission slip signed by their parent or guardian from attending class on Friday. It would also excuse any elementary- or middle-school student who is accompanied by a parent, guardian or authorized adult.
Lastly, the motion would not penalize students who chooses to miss class on Sept. 27 “in order to participate in lawful Climate Strike activities.”
“Furthermore, staff are encouraged to incorporate relevant climate strike information into educational programming, as appropriate, during the week of September 23rd,” the motion concludes.
The school board’s operations committee voted in favour of the motion in its Sept. 17 meeting, a move that is being applauded by a student involved in climate-related organizing at New West Secondary.
“We’re getting a lot of students mobilized and excited about the strike (on) Friday, to have a little bit of support from the school, as well,” said Grade 12 student Jade Bouchard, one of the students organizing the strike from NWSS. “We were very, very happy about that.”
The motion still needs approval from the school board, which will see a vote on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
