STUDENTS STRIKE ON CLIMATE WARMING

Sky News Australia

There have been reports in the Australian media of students taking a day off to attend Global Warming protests.

The Department of Education in New South Wales threatened students with punishment if they went to global warming demonstrations in school time.

Half smart TV commentators who should know better condemned the involvement of students saying they were being influenced by adult activists.

That may or may not be true. They must be able to think for themselves, so we are told.

As a teacher of high school students, I defend the education of students on global warming.

This is the very first issue that students can be actively involved with and it is the teachers’ task to bring the issue alive and for the nation including students to take ownership. The last was opposition to the Vietnam War.

My only reservation is that global warming may be misused by the Greens party to build up their supporter power base with students. They are failing to keep adult supporters with their “shoot from the hip” policies.

They may mobilize students on environmental issues and then move over to gay and lesbian rights in school curriculum.

As an experienced teacher of high school students, I would give a detailed understanding of climate change and the earthly changes over 10,000 years.

I would use the climate change issue for assignments, debates, lecturettes and research. Students would learn to give logical analyses and understand the big earthly picture through astronomy, geology, anthropology and biology.

Every student would be able to speak on the issue. It may be the only living issue they experience in their school careers.

A demonstration would bring the issue alive and promote commitment of students and teachers that they would never forget.

On Sky News Australia, one young school girl explained that students will be voters within 5 years. They are learning commitment in their response to climate change.

Student activists across the world must surely have an impact on the political process in their country if they make themselves part of their national think tank. 

But they must not forget their 3 Rs and develop the ability to read, research, argue logically and not hate those with other opinions. This is Australia not nazi Germany.