Vernon high school students walked from the classroom to the courthouse in an appeal for climate protection Thursday afternoon.
Around 30 students from VSS, Fulton, Seaton and Kalamalka secondary schools attended the school strike organized by Earth Strike Vernon from noon to 3 p.m. March 6. Students from VSS were accompanied by teacher Susan Egan.
Earth Strike co-founder and Grade 10 student Kieran Grandbois clarified the students’ position on climate policy.
“Earth Strike Vernon is pushing for the implementation of a green new deal that promotes climate justice - not just climate action,” said Grandbois.
“Climate justice is essential in this fight because if we’re going to bring climate action to the forefront of the debate we also need to ensure the transition is fair and just.”
Grandbois also made it clear who the group’s message is primarily directed towards.
“Our enemy is not the oil sands worker, nor is it the refinery worker, but rather the corporate greed that has been perpetuating this crisis.”
The group also advocates for further research towards green technologies and for the prosecution of environmental transgressions by corporate entities.
The crowd grew from a handful of protesters at noon to more than 30 by 12:45 p.m. A handful of adults also stood with the younger protesters.
Students brandished signs conveying a variety of slogans, such as “people over profit” and “act now or swim later.”
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