‘Progressive’ school backs calls for students to join climate strike

A Melbourne state school has ­invited a backlash by promoting a controversial student climate change strike.

Castlemaine secondary college students Harriet O'Shea Carre, left, with Milou Albrecht during a sit-in outside Bill Shorten’s electoral office protesting inaction on climate change. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

A Melbourne state school has ­invited a backlash by promoting a controversial student climate change strike, potentially contravening departmental policy governing political activities.

The self-described “progressive” Templestowe College published an open invitation to students to attend the School Strike 4 Climate event on March 15 to “tell our politicians to … start treating climate change for what it is: a crisis and the biggest threat to our generation”.

The message, which appears on the college’s website and Facebook page, is attributed to the ­student environmental action group, but has appeared in the principal’s newsletter for the past two weeks.

Principal Peter Ellis ­defended promoting the event, pointing out that students would not be at school next Friday to ­accommodate parent-teacher ­interviews but Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has moved to discourage similar ­endorsements. He will provide schools with advice next week, outlining that parents will need to notify the school if they know their children will be absent.

“My preference is that students don’t miss any days of school because we know that every day in the classroom is important,” Mr Merlino said.

Templestowe College’s promotion of the event appears to go against the Department of Education’s political activities policy that warns employees, including teachers, “must not solicit students to become agents of any ­organisation or individual by distributing notices, pamphlets or literature of any description that contains material of a controversial nature”.

It also warns against teachers using their position to support ­“issues, parties or candidates in relation to an election campaign”.

The Australian Education Union yesterday threw its weight behind the strike and the right of students to “protest Morrison government inaction on climate change”.

Tens of thousands of students are expected to skip school to ­attend the climate rallies in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin and regional cities across the country.

The event is organised by students but has received extensive support from activist group, the Australian Youth Climate ­Coalition.

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan has expressed concern that the campaign was being orchestrated by professional ­activists. Mr Tehan said March 15 was also National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. “I urge all students, parents and schools to make the commitment to go to school on March 15 and show solidarity with their fellow students who may have experienced bullying,” he said.

Students from Castlemaine Secondary College, including Milou Albrecht, 14, and Harriet O’Shea Carre, 14, were outside Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s electorate office yesterday to protest against the Adani mine in an act organised by the Schools Strike 4 Climate group.

Ms O’Shea Carre said they did not need permission from school but believed it was supportive.

Ms Albrecht, however, said she wasn’t sure of the school’s stance as it hadn’t expressed a view either way. Castlemaine Secondary College principal Paul Frye did not return calls.