Anyone wonder where all the climate activists have gone? Why they are so silent and withdrawn when it comes to public debate? Well, some of them are busy in our schools, following Chairman Mao's tips on getting the young engaged as activists for the cause. For example, in the City of Norwich, home of the University of East Anglia, famous for its emails, data management practices, climate studies, and carbon consultancies, the EU is funding visits and workshops to help get the pupils thinkng the right thoughts about energy and climate.
In the Norwich Advertiser on 13 Feb
10:19 AM
The ‘children will learn how to campaign on climate issues’. At least in part by the promotion of expensive and unreliable energy sources, subsidised by rich and poor alike in their electricity bills and taxes. This is a very political issue, and there seems little doubt as to which side this EU-funded, UEA supported, campaign will be taking.
This will interest, and possibly horrify, the author of the following words with regard to climate education in schools:
‘I think most parents would be horrified to learn of an organisation that is attempting to influence their children’s education to promote its own agenda.’
These are attributed by the ScienceMedia Centre in New Zealand (as reported on here at Bishop Hill), to a Bob Ward who works for a wealthy financier called Jeremy Grantham. Bob handles the PR for one of Jeremy’s organisations. This is one of two organisations set up by Jeremy in order to influence public affairs in the UK, including education. Jeremy has quite strong views about climate, and his agenda on it is quite clear on his site.
Holt Hall, mentioned in the clipping, has featured in a previous post on this blog: http://climatelessons.blogspot.com/2011/02/to-holt-for-tee-transnational-energy.html
Meanwhile in the same English city, on the same day, in a different newspaper, the Evening News, we read that Norfolk MPs are not too happy with the windfarm subsidies. Since these subsidies are crucial for the windfarms, this is going to bring them into head-on conflict with any pupils from that Norwich Sixth Form who were convinced by the EU/UEA team, and even now may be preparing their first 'campaign on climate issues'.
Now these MPs were raising issues with other adults, and not coaching school pupils to be activists for their side of this public debate. I wonder if those MPs might be able to get Bob Ward's assistance to make their points, given his dismay about organisations seeking school children to promote an opposing agenda.
I wonder also if those MPs might also get warning notices issued to all schools within 100 miles of such initiatives (and Norfolk seems particualry blighted in this respect) – in order to warn them to be on their guard about possible political indoctrination of their pupils. They might call it Norfolk’s Law, and it could be used for the neighbourhoods of all universities where the pursuit of knowledge amongst adults has been appreciably displaced by the pursuit of influence over children.
I wonder also if those MPs might also get warning notices issued to all schools within 100 miles of such initiatives (and Norfolk seems particualry blighted in this respect) – in order to warn them to be on their guard about possible political indoctrination of their pupils. They might call it Norfolk’s Law, and it could be used for the neighbourhoods of all universities where the pursuit of knowledge amongst adults has been appreciably displaced by the pursuit of influence over children.
'The young people are the most active and vital force in society. They are the most eager to learn and the least conservative in their thinking. This is especially so in the era of socialism. We hope that the local Party organizations in various places will help and work with the Youth League organizations and go into the question of bringing into full play the energy of our youth in particular. The Party organizations should not treat them in the same way as everybody else and ignore their special characteristics. Of course, the young people should learn from the old and other adults, and should strive as much as possible to engage in all sorts of useful activities with their agreement.'
Ro said
Ro said
'There is a real risk of raising levels of anxiety amongst children that will not only cause distress in the immediate term but will in the long term lead to those children turning against the environmental causes we hoped they might espouse.’
‘But the deeper question is – why are adults so keen to focus on children? Why concentrate on the weakest, least influential members of society and ask them to act?''
‘But the deeper question is – why are adults so keen to focus on children? Why concentrate on the weakest, least influential members of society and ask them to act?''
More on 'socialist geography' and on raising activists in schools here: http://climatelessons.blogspot.com/2011/02/classroom-climate-conditioning-at-work.html
(hat-tip for the cuttings: Dave W.)
Political indoctrination is nothing new in Norwich. Back in the 70's I was a pupil at the CNS grammar school, and our History teacher concentrated solely on China, to the extent of trying to persuade the class to buy Chairman Mao's little red book. I (and a few others) refused, which didn't make us very popular.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see this sort of brainwashing has been updated for the new century...
How very worrying that the EU are involved in a 21st century update of 'Youth League' activities and that the term 'ambassador' should be used in this context.
ReplyDeleteHeartland Institute's $6.4 million are put into sharp perspective when you look at the rivers of money that have poured into climate change advocacy in the UK over the years, from the likes of the EU, the British Council and the Arts Council, under programmes such as the Answer Project, project SAUCE, Climate Action, "You Control Climate Change!", speakgreen, ZOOM, International Climate Champions, the Climate Change Schools Project, Eco-Schools, etc., and so on.
ReplyDeleteIt would take a while to find out how much money is going annually to fund climate change advocacy in schools in the UK and in Europe. I'd hazard a guess, however, that it would amount to somewhat more than $6.4 million.
@ Dave W, I was at CNS in the late '70s, after it became a comp. Was the history teacher in question a certain Mr Barlow? Small world, if so!