March 12, 2019
Student Strikes for Climate Action
#FridaysforFuture
A Series on the Environment from the Question Line Duo
This Friday, March 15, across the entire globe, extraordinary numbers of students of all ages — from primary school through college — will not be attending their usual classes. They, and in many cases their families too, will instead be letting the "adults in charge" know that they've had enough. They demand action on climate change.
We're calling on all of our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, mentors, coaches, teachers and friends — get out there and support these smart and caring young people in your life. There are so many ways you can help.
If your young people aren't aware of the planned events, or think they won't be allowed to participate, let them know about it and be there to help it happen for them. Do what's needed for them be part of this extraordinary and courageous moment in history.
If this is the first you're reading about this unprecedented, world-wide student activism, and the extraordinary young people taking the lead, let us get you up to speed.
"School children are required to attend school. But with the worsening Climate Destruction this goal of going to school begins to be pointless. Why study for a future, which may not be there? Why spend a lot of effort to become educated, when our governments are not listening to the educated?"
• From FridaysforFuture.org
"On March 15, tens of thousands of high-school and middle-school students ... plan to skip school to demand that politicians treat the global climate crisis as the emergency it is. Shakespeare made the Ides of March famous with his soothsayer’s warning in Julius Caesar, but ancient Romans actually saw it as a day for settling debts. What bigger debt is there than the theft of a livable future?"
• Students are leading a worldwide climate strike on March 15. Grown-ups take note. [DailyKos]
"I'm not going to leave my future in the hands of people who aren't doing anything. We're already seeing the effects [of climate change], you can see it everywhere. You might even see it in your backyard... We're just trying to survive."
• Why Students are Striking on March 15 [VOX]
"My parents are very supportive, they understand my beliefs. . . . If we're not going to have a future, then school won't matter any more."
• The New York 13-Year-Old Taking a Stand Over Climate Change [The Guardian]
"At school at the moment I do all the science subjects. I'm really passionate about science and I'm passionate about facts and passionate about our future. We've been forced into this by our government's inaction. We shouldn't have to be doing this."
• Australia's School Climate Strikes Go Global [The Guardian]
Share this information with your kids, and your friends and family who have children and young adults.
Are any of the young people in your life interested in participating? If so, do whatever you can to make it happen. All you need is a sign (or two) and a place to meet.
Go pick them up from school and drive them to the nearest strike group (see below for a map).
If you can take the day off, but other parents can't, offer to include their kids.
If there isn't an event, strike anyway.
Make a sign and plan on spending the day with your young people in front of your local county courthouse or government offices.
Call your local newspaper and tell them they might want to come take a picture. This is news.
• International Map of Student Strikes [FridaysforFuture]
• Additional Youth Climate Strikes in U.S. [ActionNetwork]
One More Kick In The Pants
There's no more sitting idly by and hoping somebody else will take care of it. These kids have seen what the adults in their lives have done so far, and they are collectively calling us out for our lack of action.
Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old from Sweden who has been on a Climate Strike every Friday for a year now, feels the urgency. She's doing what she's compelled to do for survival.
• Hear Greta in action at the UN Climate Change COP24 Conference.
The Environment Series