Weekly Competition #36
14 June 2019WINNERS ANNOUNCED:
respectful_guitar and resilient_accordion
A wonderful week of competition entries! Well done Burnet News Club. There were some excellent reasons given and we could see the open-mindedness from students who gave reasons on both side of the argument. Our primary school winner, respectful_guitar, showed excellent reasoning. They explained their point of view, explained the other side and also showed how their reasoning had led to their conclusion.
Resilient_accordion was a winner too. They emphasised the power of youth protest and student voice. They gave the other side of the argument and their rebuttal to that, which is fantastic reasoning. Well done!
WEEKLY COMPETITION #36:
The government says that a child is only allowed to miss school if either:
The child is too ill to go in
OR
The child has advance permission from the school
Recently, lots of children have missed school to join climate change protests. However, some schools haven't given 'advance permission', which means the absence from school isn't authorised. An unauthorised absence goes on your school record and, if you have lots of them, your parents/carers can get intro trouble.
We want to hear your opinion and reasons on this! Vote in the poll to tell us what you think and explain your reason below. Winners will be announced on Friday!
Comments (114)
I don’t think the children should leave school to protest but instead ask their parents opinion and have them go protest
this is a valid idea so they don't miss valuable school hours
In my opinion I think schools she give the authority to let there student out of school to go protest, On the other hand I think children should stay in school because the crowd and for there education.
I agree they should do the protest because, they want to save their there future life . they want to do it because if they don't the planet will affect the schools but not for a limited time a unlimited time so they want to help the world including there school.I agree that they should do the protest.
I disagree with ' that a child is only allowed to miss school if either:
The child is too ill to go in
OR
The child has advance permission from the school'is stupid because if the child has a good cause for missing valuable school hours like protesting for a good cause like Greta Thunberg ,who was protesting for climate change to be realised by the government all over the world.
What is "good" and how do we define it if we can't do that then the idea cant ever be implemented. So please tell me what is good.
Well if you know what's bad you should know what's good.
I agree that they should do the protest because they ejucation
i agree too
I think that people should be allowed to be absent because its really important because it could change peoples life if they agree but on the other hand to be absent means less education and when you grow up you would be upset cause you didn't go to school. Also school is very important because you can learn more and then when you grow up and people will agree with you more cause you have more reason
i think the children should be out of school for a bit of time because this planet counts on us with climate change and they should be in school as well because of our education.
In my opinion I think we should all help each other to get rid of the temperature rising. We should work as a team because if we all work together we can destroy the heat rising.
I think that schools should allow students to protest regularly as long the students still go to school because what is the point of teaching them, if they don't have a future in a few years time. And some schools even teach about climate change, all those teachers always say that its important and urgent but do they really mean. I mean what happens when earth is almost destroyed all I'm saying is 'Save the future by stopping climate change.
I think both. I think children should be able to protest about the climate change and really from my point of view adults should be helping.Well...,on the other hand school is also very important.In reality you wouldn't really know what climate change is unless your parents told you or you seen it on TV.Climate change is very important but so is school.
I think that we should be allowed to go and protest for our planet, on the other hand , you shouldn't because people could do it at school.
Recently, lots of children have missed school to join climate change protests. However, some schools haven't given 'advance permission', which means the absence from school isn't authorised. Yes, but schools can teach the whole world Maths and English when the world is not in danger of exploding. Yes, children would not get educated if they go and protest. Yes, children's future jobs might not be that good if they go and protest. Yes, children's academic records might be a tiny bit bad if they go off and protest TO SAVE THE WORLD! Think, most children don't like going to school, but they do like seeing their friends and taking part in sports and games, and those children, those children who miss seeing their friends, who miss sports and games, to go off and protest as they do not want their family's,schools,friends and pets to die because of something horrible humans do to our world. There is only ONE world, and we must fight to protect it. There is only ONE chance, so grab it now!
in my opinion i think protesting is right because on climate change it depends on the whole human races future because if we are all dead there's no point of education but if a school made the fact that they would let people take off of school to protest public i think some students would overuse that excuse to avoid school but i think protesting about things that are right is the right path and i think people should do it about right things because it makes you feel better about yourself and like your doing the world a right.
i believe that you should be allowed to take your child out of school for the protest of climate change because it is very important that we work together to forbid over heating and under heating.
of the weather.
I think you should be able to have advanced permission because if there is a crisis that could endanger many lives and many species even though education is also very important, the lives of thousands of animals and soon we will not survive
I think its correct since you have a valid reason.
In my opinion, I support both sides of the argument. This because I believe that both the climate and education are both really important in our lives.
You should not be allowed to skip school just to join a protest for climate change. This is because education is really important in your life. It helps you to get a good job in the future. Not only that, you also use subjects like maths in your everyday life to calculate things. It is also the law that children must go to school. The government has said that the only excuse for missing school is:
1. If you are too ill to attend
2. If you have permission from the school
If you skip you skip school, you can be fined for £60 per child and £120 if it has not been paid within 21 days. If it has not been paid within 28 days, your parents can be prosecuted (institute or conduct legal proceedings against a person or organization).
However, I also believe that you should be allowed to skip school to protest about climate change because it is a good cause. Your protest could actually get noticed and something might happen to banish our problems caused by climate change. You could raise awareness and people might start helping to make the Earth a greener planet. All the days you skip school could pay off.
i think that schools should not only give permission for school absence for illness and an authority because a different reason even more important than illness like visiting a family member who is passing away is very important but it wouldn't be accepted. The penalty is £60 and could rise up to £120 if not payed after a period of 21 days but payed within the deadline of 28 days and if so you may be prosecuted or set to punishments i shall say like parenting order which means that the parent would have to go to parenting classes but if prosecuted the parent could get a fine up to £2500 , a community order or even a jail sentence up to 3 months with a set parenting order for the parent from the court. Also if a child is ill it doesn't mean that he/she can be absent , the headteacher has to first go through the reasons of the absence and decide if to authorize the absence.
i think it is correct because they are trying to do some thing to help improve society and save the world in fact i think think that they should be praised or applauded
however their might be a different reason why this crisis is happening maybe it is just the earth changing
I said no because if you miss out on learning that amount of time you miss out in your learning and that is not good by the end of that year you would be behind so if you missed out on your learning for two weeks then you would be behind two weeks and you class will be two weeks smarter than you if you do not up your game then you will not know anything at the end of the year you attendance is much more important than climate protests they are just showing or sharing your opinions with other people and then you write a letter to your local MP (member of parliament)but then it is not really in Leeds these type of things mostly gradually happen in busy places as for an example London omg I feel blessed to have to live in Leeds those many souls that have died there is unbelievable but all that I am saying that school is more important than climate change groups that go around together you do not know what they do together do they smoke do they kill do the drink but then you won’t have a clue because you didn’t go to school and listen
Recently, lots of children have missed school to join climate change protests. However, some schools haven't given 'advance permission', which means the absence from school isn't authorised. Yes, but schools can teach the whole world Maths and English when the world is not in danger of exploding. Yes, children would not get educated if they go and protest. Yes, children's future jobs might not be that good if they go and protest. Yes, children's academic records might be a tiny bit bad if they go off and protest TO SAVE THE WORLD! Think, most children don't like going to school, but they do like seeing their friends and taking part in sports and games, and those children, those children who miss seeing their friends, who miss sports and games, to go off and protest as they do not want their family's,schools,friends and pets to die because of something horrible humans do to our world. There is only ONE world, and we must fight to protect it. There is only ONE chance, so grab it now!
I think that children should be able to miss school so they can go and protest. I think this because protesting is what can get your voice heard and in this case, one little protest can affect the whole world. The earth is in danger and we, together, must find a way to protect our planet. In 2015, one in five eight graders (19.5%) missed school for more than three days in a month. This may look bad and make your reputation look bad but it's being used for a great cause. If people just stay in school and do nothing, the whole civilasation will be over. All humans and animals will be extinct. But if we act now and miss a little bit of school, we can save the world and get back to studying. We can't just sit their and do nothing. Especially when children will be the ones that will be massively affected by climate change. Our future is in the leaders hands. We need to stand out and stand bold in protests, even if it means missing school for a bit.
There are two ways to look at this argument.
The first is to say that taking time off school to protest about climate change is infact a good thing to do, hence it should be allowed by schools. I, of all people, believe it is good for children and teenagers to have their own opinions, especially when they are for preventing climate change as I too share this opinion. Allowing children to take time off school for this is arguably a good thing, as it strengthens youths' abilities to stand up and act for what they believe, which is really what needs to be done about climate change. This is because things like recycling, limiting electricity and water, and planting trees all take some effort to go and pursue. I believe this will also help to fix the modern problem of youths with electronic devices because they will have a desire to get up and do something productive rather than the same thing all the time, just like at school.
The second approach to this argument is to say that children shouldn't be allowed to take time off school for climate change protests. I believe this is because at school, children will learn things, things that can be used to resolve climate change theirselves, instead of protesting and trying to get other people to do it because ultimately it would make more of a difference for 1000 people to be scientifically fixing climate change than 1000 people waving placards around a city center trying to inform people on things that really, they already know.
Overall, there are pros and cons to both, but I believe that schools should not allow children to take time off of school because I believe their education will resolve climate change a lot more than protesting will.
this is the wrong thing to do this cannot happen lots of children missing out on school parents and carers you should be the one to speak not your child or children to speak out loud for you should be the one to protest not YOUR Child.I can understand why you want your child to protest is because you want your child to have there say and chance to speak. SO PLEASE STOP THIS FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND JUST KEEP THEM IN SCHOOL AND ENJOY SCHOOL LIFE SO THEY GET THEMSELVES INTO ANY HALM. SO REMEMBER THIS IS FOR YOU CHILD SO DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN SO NOW STOP.!!!!!.
HOPE YOU ENJOY MY SAY.
I think they should because its good that children actually want to join because most children wouldn't want to.
I think children should create something in the school that will make teachers aware of what's happening so that they can give them advance permission to go and protest ,maybe some kids do it because no one might not listen to them so they do it so everyone knows why they are taking this risk.
If children don't protest it means that no one is doing anything about the fact that the world could possibly explode. So teachers should give the students an advance permission so they can protest, this is good because it means that the children will show resilience and show that they will never give up on the message they are trying to send not only to the government but to the whole wide world, this is good because even though they aren't going to school they are giving themselves good qualities, which is good because socially it will make them feel more confident about themselves so they can get a good job in life, which is good because it means that you can do anything and achieve what you want, because they missed out on lessons during schools but with a good cause and the way the have been protesting they still get the good life qualities for a better future.
I think that schools should let their pupils go on protest, becasue it helps the school and other student attending! Also, if you look at children today, who protest, such as Greta Thunberg, who achieve something and who earn position in society, not that people don't but they spread the message on how we can change!
Children should be able to go to protest and do against the climate change. There is only one world and no more. If we loose this one it would be the end. The protection of our world in the present should be a priority otherwise there won`t be a future to look up to.
Protesting is not enough. Even though we are not adults yet, but already we can act wisely. Just for example waste management, recycling, controlling how and what materials we should use - reducing usage of plastic, not wasting water or just simply not buying unnecessary items. Don`t think you are just a child: if you have a new idea to make the environment a brighter future try to do it and encourage others as well.
Live today but think about the future as well. And never forget to show a good example with on how to help not just with your words but with actions. There's only one chance to prevent the worse to happen and now is the time to do it!
I think that children shouldn't go and protest because learning is more important than protesting.
On the other hand children should be able to go on holiday but only if the sign the holiday form. I don't think that parents should pay the fine because hotels get way more expensive in the holidays and parents cant afford it.
In my opinion, I strongly believe that Climate Change is a potential threat to the Earth’s existence and its atmosphere and that we need to take action and protest in order for us to pollute less and find an alternative method for manufacturing goods in factories to reduce or no greenhouse gases (which is harmful for the Earth). Everyone must stand and join Climate Change protests and it is our moral obligation to keep our planet clean which we are currently living and for our future generation. These protests will help our future generation not live in a world of toxic gases, waste and pollution and more people will start to listen because of the message that has been sent out by the protest. In addition, we have to do as much as possible since in a dozen years, scientists predict that the Earth will have catastrophic changes increasing the Earth’s temperature, the oceans will rise and lands will disappear. In the protests, MPs, leaders, prime ministers and maybe generals will be able react to this and make low car emission zones -like those that they have in London- or electric cars and breaking diesel and petrol cars to make new electric cars. Since no other people have been protesting against Climate Change, it also makes it fair for schools to protest and the children are allowed to take sensible decisions for themselves for what they want.
On the other hand, even though the children can decide themselves alone, regarding the Climate Change protest, the children who are under the age of 16 has to be considered as minor and they need proper parents and responsible adults, guidance and protection. Therefore, the children under 16 either primary or secondary school must need the parents’ consent to join the protests accompanied by their parents or an adult (someone who is recommended by their parents). Nevertheless, as far as school’s concern, the head teacher’s final decision is the decision everyone must follow during school time, which the parents must follow. Therefore, during school hours, if the head teacher does not allow the children to join Climate protest, the parents must obey the head teacher’s decision. If the parents do not obey the head teacher’s decision and do not send the children to school and join the Climate Change protest, then the parents have to face the consequence and the penalties the head teacher has given not sending the children to school. But if the head teacher decides to join the Climate Change protest, then he or she must inform the parents and take their consent form the parents before joining the Climate Change protest and be sure to give maximum safety to the children who join the protest accompanied by responsible teachers or teachers assistants.
However, another subject to consider is the children’s education. The students and pupils are protesting in their school time and missing important education. Education is very important since education will lead you to a path of jobs and will run the next part of the future. If the children are protesting, they are going to also be missing a lot of their important education. Even though they are protesting for Climate Change (which is completely necessary for the Earth and its atmosphere), they are missing their vital time of education and it is affecting their chances of carrying on the future and getting new jobs. Missing education is extremely important. Therefore, I believe that they should do it somewhere out of school time in order for their protesting for global warming and for the education that is a right and something that they deserve. However, if they protesting during the school hours is once or twice a year, which is negligible, losing important education time in school is considerable. Nevertheless, some children or adults may have their own personal reason not to send the children to school excusing the Climate Change protest (they do not go to school or the Climate Change protest and waste school education time and also they do not care about Climate Change).
Considering both arguments of why children should protest against Climate Change, I believe that they should be able to protest. However, the children have to be accompanied by their parents or responsible adults and they have to do it in a separate time to their vital education time.
wow great explanation well done!!!
I think children should stay at home since if those children are out there protesting then they are missing learning time. I agree that if they are out there then they get experienced about how to protest although if they learn at school maybe then could become a climatologist and change climate and the infrastructure of it.
I personally have a mixed opinion because ...
Yes I think they should be aloud to miss school, I think this because if kids are becoming involved with the news that might influence others to join in and then they would eventually notice how badly it is affecting their/ our society
But then children shouldn’t be aloud to have time of school, my opinion is I think that if a child had a day off school no matter the year they r being pushed back on work at school and homework not given in on time which could also lead to detentions on some schools. As well as that , if maybe they r studying for a test and they go out to protest I think that the child would be stressed about all the studying that is being pulled on her/him. So that could cause stress, depression and other serious circumstances.
İ think it is correct because the student wront able to work well and on the way to school or inside the school something medical and alır of people will gel faint.
I disagree and agree because if your very sick you can miss school. Some people take that as an excuse to miss school and if your not sick the school should go and knock on your door to see if you are lying .
On the one hand, I think we need to get our message across that climate change IS a potential threat and if we don't do some thing fast our planet will die out.
On the other hand, children's education is very important and they need to be punctuate in school to exceed
I think that although climate change is an important issue, children should not be missing school because of it. They can use their free time such as weekends and holidays to participate in protests, they do not need to take time out of their education to do this. Also, we can not underestimate the role that schools play in ensuring that children fully understand the implications of climate change. At school, children will be learning to research, gather evidence, make persuasive arguments and take part in debates; these are all skills that are needed in order to effectively persuade people and governments to take the issue of climate change seriously.
Recently, lots of children have missed school to join climate change protests. However, some schools haven't given 'advance permission', which means the absence from school isn't authorised. Yes, but schools can teach the whole world Maths and English when the world is not in danger of exploding. Yes, children would not get educated if they go and protest. Yes, children's future jobs might not be that good if they go and protest. Yes, children's academic records might be a tiny bit bad if they go off and protest to safe the world! Think, most children don't like going to school, but they do like seeing their friends and taking part in sports and games, and those children, those children who miss seeing their friends, who miss sports and games, to go off and protest as they do not want their family's,schools,friends and pets to die because of something horrible humans do to our world. There is only one world, and we must fight to protect it. There is only one chance, so grab it now!
I think school should support this protests as why should childen study for a future that doesn`t exist. If climate change happens then there will be no future to study for
I agree, I think that every school needs to let students protest so that the governments are aware and realize that 1 thousand of students can't skip school for climate change so they need to do something.
In my opinion I think schools should allow students go to climate change so that they understand what it is and what would happen if we ignore this and in a future the world would be a better place because of the students that would be the adults.
i voted for 'yes' because school is all about the youth, and it is the youth's future that will be affected by climate change
I think that children should skip school for reasons like protesting against the government for not doing enough for stopping the climate change because the school helps them to built a successful future but if the government doesn´ t do anything, what future are they going to built if it won´t exists?
I don't want to see each country move their population.
I think they should because its good that children actually want to join because most children wouldn't want to.
Also, children will not take care of the planet however their might be a different reason why this crisis is happening maybe it is just the earth changing. We should be allowed to go and protest for our planet, on the other hand , you shouldn't because people could do it at school.