Pupils draft their own climate bill as anxiety grows over lack of guidance for schools theguardian.com/education/2020…
Concerns are growing that UK children are not being taught adequately about the emergency.
Joe Brindle, 17, founded a campaign group, Teach the Future, which has spent the last few months formulating legislation entitled the climate emergency education bill.
Joe Brindle, 17, founded a campaign group, Teach the Future, which has spent the last few months formulating legislation entitled the climate emergency education bill.
The latest version has just arrived in his inbox: it has been written by a professional parliamentary draftsperson, paid for by crowdfunding.
On 26 February Brindle and his fellow campaigners will gather in parliament’s biggest committee room to launch their bill
On 26 February Brindle and his fellow campaigners will gather in parliament’s biggest committee room to launch their bill
Its six demands are uncompromising, he says. “We feel the education system is wasting our time, because we’re facing the biggest issue of our time, and our education isn’t even touching on it.”
As well as the proposed new act, Teach the Future is calling for a government review into how the education system is preparing students for the climate emergency and the ecological crisis.
It wants teacher training to assess a minimum standard of knowledge about climate change and its impact, and a national fund to help young people’s voices be heard.
In Leeds, @MattCarmichael2 , a long-time environmental campaigner, and English and drama teacher, is dedicating up to three days a week unpaid to develop an action plan for schools.
(Matt sits on @LeedsClimateCom and led the recent Caught in the Middle workshops for schools)
(Matt sits on @LeedsClimateCom and led the recent Caught in the Middle workshops for schools)
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @MattCarmichael2 also co-leads the grassroots Our Future Leeds Schools initiative:
facebook.com/groups/2360729…
If you are a student, parent, governor, teacher or have any other links to a school, join us!
facebook.com/groups/2360729…
If you are a student, parent, governor, teacher or have any other links to a school, join us!
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom In the article, @MattCarmichael2 says:
'This will not only mean changing what is taught, , but recognising that our education system itself has an impact on the planet through carbon emissions, building projects and procurement practices.'
'This will not only mean changing what is taught, , but recognising that our education system itself has an impact on the planet through carbon emissions, building projects and procurement practices.'
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom Carmichael’s five action points include changing how buildings are heated; preparing schools for extreme weather; and addressing the mental health implications for students of fully comprehending the climate emergency.
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom “What happens if our temperature levels are smashed by five degrees as happened in France? Then there’s flooding, and high winds. I don’t think schools would have a clue how to make children safe. We’re going to have to think about it.”
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom While some schools are adapting their curriculum content, many others are “burying their heads in the sand as they always did”, he says. Everyone is operating “in the most astonishing radio silence” from the Department for Education, he adds.
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom “There’s no guidance, no staff training.. no accountability structure so schools have no idea what the government thinks they are responsible for doing. It seems business as usual is fine by the DfE, but that’s not acceptable to a lot of students, parents and teachers.”
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom Brindle’s plan, too, calls for a fundamental change. “Some people have been pushing a natural history GCSE .., but I think this furthers us from the solution. Rather than ..only a handful of students learningabout it, we should be making it a key aspect of all parts of education.
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom “We don’t just want future ecologists to understand sustainability. We want bankers, builders and everyone else to consider it in everything they do.”
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@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive At last week's State of the City event, @HorsforthSchool students, Robbie Strathdee (Y13) and Anna Turton (Y10), outlined the role that schools can play in tackling the #climatecrisis.
#leedssotc
drive.google.com/file/d/1C9BLMC…
#leedssotc
drive.google.com/file/d/1C9BLMC…
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive @HorsforthSchool Anna said:
'Imagine a city of young minds thinking creatively about the climate crisis and how to respond to it. This is where schools come into their own as key institutions in Leeds’ response to climate change.'
'Imagine a city of young minds thinking creatively about the climate crisis and how to respond to it. This is where schools come into their own as key institutions in Leeds’ response to climate change.'
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive @HorsforthSchool She want on:
'Acting as hubs within their communities, schools and their students can take a leading role in disseminating information and a thirst for action to the city as a whole.'
'Acting as hubs within their communities, schools and their students can take a leading role in disseminating information and a thirst for action to the city as a whole.'
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive @HorsforthSchool Robbie went on to say:
'An important feature of the response of schools such as Horsforth so far is that they have drawn on the networks that have been developed over the past year. '
'An important feature of the response of schools such as Horsforth so far is that they have drawn on the networks that have been developed over the past year. '
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive @HorsforthSchool 'Led by @MattCarmichael2 , the schools strand of Our Future Leeds is building up a bank of resources to equip students, teachers, staff and parents to help schools tackle the climate emergency.'
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom @LeedsCC_CEAQ @CllrWalshaw @lisamulherin @Child_Leeds @Strike4Youth @YLeedsuk @OurFutureLeeds @radioairenews @lizgreenlive @HorsforthSchool If you have 7 minutes, please listen to the full speech
Robbie ends
Leeds 'can be the city which leads the way in reducing the UK's emissions to zero, helping to carve out an important and compassionate new role for ourselves as a country.
To achieve this, we need you
Robbie ends
Leeds 'can be the city which leads the way in reducing the UK's emissions to zero, helping to carve out an important and compassionate new role for ourselves as a country.
To achieve this, we need you
@MattCarmichael2 @LeedsClimateCom Thread cul de sac! .. please go back up to the last but one tweet which starts:
'While some schools are adapting their curriculum content, many others are “burying their heads in the sand as they always did”, he says.' as the thread continues there
'While some schools are adapting their curriculum content, many others are “burying their heads in the sand as they always did”, he says.' as the thread continues there
