Sydney Uni academics won’t be penalised for skipping class to attend student climate rally
The University of Sydney has told its academics they can skip teaching classes this Friday if they want to join a school student protest about climate change.
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The University of Sydney has told its academics they can skip teaching classes this Friday if they want to join a school student protest about climate change.
But some students have said allowing academics to skip class was a blatant misuse of taxpayer funds and was disadvantaging those who just wanted to learn.
The School Strike For Climate Action is part of a worldwide movement to encourage school-aged students to skip school in protest.
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The university told professors and other staff they should try to make arrangements to cover their classes if they wanted to go to the protest and said they wouldn’t be penalised for taking the afternoon off.
“Today we advised our staff and students they won’t be penalised for supporting the school students striking for climate change action by attending this week’s march,” a university spokeswoman said.
“We’re clarifying that staff should discuss appropriate leave, time in lieu and cover arrangements with their managers.”
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The university denied it had tried to politicise its students, saying it only encouraged students to take a “strong stand on issues they consider important”.
“As a university we are a forum for a debate and not a participant in debate, however we encourage our students and staff to take a strong stand on issues they consider important.”
University of Sydney Liberal Club president Jack O’Brien said the university shouldn’t be misusing taxpayer funds and should focus on its core task of educating students.
“Despite the university’s statement that its staff are not to be participants in debate, clearly they are participating, in this case at the expense of the taxpayer,” he said.
“The university’s obligation is to educate students, not encourage its staff to become involved in political activity when it detrimentally affects other students who just want to attend their classes.”
By encouraging academics and students to participate in this protest, he said it is prioritising political agendas over their taxpayer funded responsibilities to educate students.
“I’ve never seen any evidence of staff being encouraged by the university to participate in any conservative cause.”
“If members of the Sydney University Liberal Club elected to take time off class to support a particular agenda, I highly doubt staff would be giving us a free pass to participate in that event.”
Staff have been told to avoid conducting assessment tasks on the day.
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