Speyside pupils in climate walkout
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SPEYSIDE High School pupils staged their fourth climate strike last week as part of the global Fridays for Future movement.
Four school activists "downed tools" and missed Friday lessons for an hour to show their solidarity with Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg's lesson strikes – which she started to demand governments take action to prevent further global warming and climate change.
The four – Freya Gordon (14), Rhea Fraser (14), Alexander Bond (15) and Fraser MacDonald (15) halted schoolwork between 11am-noon on Friday, June 14, to protest outside the school with a placard. Rhea boosted morale by playing the bagpipes and Fraser strummed guitar.
Pupils at Speyside held their first strike on February 15 and said the second, on March 15, attracted more than half the school. They have had two speakers at previous strikes.
It is believed Speyside pupils are the only youngsters in Moray to have joined the international action so far – but the Speysiders are hopeful pupils from other schools throughout the area will get on board. Some 1.4 million young people around the world participated in climate strike events in March.
The climate activists hope to hold a Friday strike every fortnight.
Fraser said: "We want to build up momentum."
The S4 youngsters were at pains to point out that the action was not about teenage rebellion or lesson avoidance.
Rhea said: "A lot of teachers took some convincing – but they are now mostly very supportive."
In fact, the pupils have demonstrated their seriousness and commitment to the point that teachers sometimes join their strikes. They made a presentation to staff on Monday, June 10, to justify and explain the collective action. They gave teachers a chance to ask questions and handed out leaflets.
Freya said: "They have concerns – but they're supportive. We have worked out ways with teachers so that the strikes are not disruptive. For example, we will hold them at different times to fit in with the school.
"It's not 'us against them'."
The protests are open to all pupils and are publicised through social media and posters. Rhea added: "We don't pressurise anyone to join in. But all the school is welcome to join in if they believe in the cause."
Alexander added: "You just have to look around at the scenery here – why wouldn't you want to protect all this? We need to."
The action follows a Fridays for Future demonstration outside Moray Council headquarters in Elgin on Friday, June 7, by fellow Speyside pupils Hannah Weir (12) and Bria Alexandra (12), and Martha Allsop (13) of Elgin Academy.
