Students face barriers disrupting their ability to join school climate strikes

Students have spoken privately of being under pressure to remain in class and restrict their activism to within the school gates.

They spoke of tests and class-based assessments being scheduled for Fridays when weekly climate protests take place.

They also said schools’ use of class attendance tracking apps that did not automatically link to explanations meant they were getting a reputation for absenteeism rather than activism.

The Department of Education said there was a strong climate action ethos in schools but it was up to boards of management to decide what activities were appropriate.

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) however, said stronger departmental guidelines would be useful.

Participation in school climate strikes has plummeted since the peak in 2019 when activist Greta Thunberg’s action in Sweden sparked an international movement.

Covid restrictions played a large part in slowing momentum but since the resumption of normal timetables, students have spoken of a change in attitudes by schools.

The next global climate strike is scheduled for April 19 but it is not clear how big the event will be in Ireland.

The Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) said it wrote to school managers in the past asking that students and teachers be facilitated to take part in climate action.

“While we recognise that individual school boards of management must make their own decisions based on priorities within school communities, we also recognise that legitimately organised climate action events provide opportunities for students and their teachers to engage in active citizenship,” it said.

The TUI said it was not aware of any specific difficulties in schools relating to climate activism.

However, a spokesperson said: “A case could certainly be made for guidelines from the Department of Education on this area, provided such guidelines take account of the significant strength of feeling of all in school communities on the climate emergency and the critical importance of supporting activism on it.”

The Department of Education said climate action was a “key priority” and this was reflected in the Education for Sustainable Development policy and a new Leaving Cert subject being offered from next year.

“The Board of Management of a school is responsible for making decisions as to the types of activities in which the school gets involved,” it said.

“Such activities should provide a significant benefit to the educational, intellectual, cultural and social development of pupils/students taking part.”

Flossie Donnelly, a fifth-year student at Newpark Comprehensive in Dublin, said her school supported her involvement in climate strikes but she had to make compromises for the sake of her studies.

“Once you hit fifth year it becomes a lot harder,” she said.

“For me to leave school to go to the strikes weekly would mean missing double chemistry which is what I need to help the planet in the future,” she said of her hopes to study marine science.

“You have to stagger the events you take part in. That’s terrible in a way but it’s the smart way to do things.”