Sask. students skip class, join nationwide climate protest

Some were encouraged by their teachers. Others faced detention, failed tests and a ban from a school dance.

Nearly 100 high school and elementary students skipped class Friday morning to gather in front of Saskatoon City Hall to protest inaction over climate change.

The students held signs with messages reading, “There is no planet B,” “climate change = extinction,” and “No excuse for single use plastics” among others.

They also chanted for action on climate change, calling out to passersby: “You’ll die of old age, we’ll die of climate change.”

Grade 11 Walter Murray Collegiate student Kaia Bater helped organize the protest, which coincided with dozens of other school walkouts across Canada.

“We are the ones who (climate change) is going to be affecting,” she told 650 CKOM. “Movements have always started with the youth, and it’s going to be us who get something done.”

Bater expressed frustration with Premier Scott Moe’s opposition to a federal carbon tax and the fact $1 billion in funds were raised to repair the Notre Dame cathedral when that money could have been spent cleaning up the environment.

She was one of several students who chose to miss out on tests or exams to take part in the walkout.

“Why should we take one day of being educated when politicians have not listened to the educated?” she asked, noting she was missing a final exam.

Mix of students saying they're either facing consequences or their teachers encouraged them to come. #yxe pic.twitter.com/TtjRfU0Bge

— Chris Vandenbreekel (@Vandecision) May 3, 2019

While students from Bethlehem Catholic High School said they had been encouraged by teachers to join the protest, Bater said Walter Murray took the opposite approach.

Students were told that if they had an unexplained absence on Friday, they would be unable to attend a school dance that evening.

“We’re taught that climate change is real and we need to go do something about it,” Bater said. “But it feels like the second we actually go and do something about it, suddenly they’re not on our side anymore.”

She emphasized standing up for climate change action was more important, because the future of the planet is in the balance.

Bater pointed to scientific research showing the trend of climate change could be irreversible if humans don’t take action by 2030 to curtail carbon emissions.

“This is putting over one million species at risk of endangerment, and we are one of them,” she said.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili showed up partway through the demonstration on Friday, and spoke with students about different plans to fight climate change.

Grade 9 Aden Bowman Collegiate student David Dodson advocated for the federal carbon tax, as well as an increase in renewable energy use in Saskatchewan.

“We still have a huge problem with pollution,” he said. “We use way more coal and natural gas than anywhere else in Canada, so it’s specifically important in Saskatchewan … to support organization to push policies that are already in other places in Canada but are not here yet.”

When asked if he was facing consequences for attending the rally, he said: “I don’t really care. I think it’s more important to be out here.”