The mother of a schoolgirl whose death from an asthma attack has been linked to air pollution today backed thousands of children set to “strike” over climate change.
Pupils across London will miss lessons tomorrow as part of a UK-wide “day of action” against global warming. It will include protest marches and culminate in a demonstration in Parliament Square.
Some headteachers have said they will deal with pupil absences on a “case by case” basis, while the Government maintains children should only miss school in “exceptional circumstances”.
The strike was backed by Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose nine-year-old daughter Ella died six years ago after a severe asthma attack followed by a seizure.
Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, a former teacher, said of the protesters: “I don’t want them coming out of school every week but this is a public health crisis.”
Her daughter Ella lived 80ft from the South Circular in Hither Green. Her death has been linked to unlawful levels of pollution, and last month the attorney general backed Ms Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s campaign for a new inquest.
Dr Millan Sachania, the headteacher of the independent Streatham and Clapham High School, said pupils and teachers would be organising activities so pupils can “show solidarity” with the protest.
He added: “We’ve advised pupils not to take part as they’re meant to be in school; it’s the law. We also want to know where they are, we need to know they’re safe and with people we trust.”
Other parents said they were backing their children’s rights to join the protest.
Penny Hosie, a communications manager from Brockley, said she will join a march and her daughter Evie, 14, is considering it. She added: “Sometimes drastic action is the only thing that will make people sit up and take notice.”
The YouthStrike4Climate campaign was organised by activist groups including the UK Student Climate Network and the UK Youth Climate Coalition.
It was inspired by climate activist Greta Thunberg, 16, who stopped attending school on Fridays to protest outside Swedish parliament in a bid to raise awareness of carbon emissions.
