A proposed Leaving Cert plan which would see students taught how to “effectively organise” around climate issues and study the “tactics” of “activists” has been described as “horrifying” by one Roscommon-Galway TD.
Michael Fitzmaurice of the Independent Ireland Party was responding to a story published by Gript this week, which outlined how the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has released a draft “Climate Action & Sustainable Development” specification document for the Leaving Cert curriculum.
The proposals – which are out for public consultation – aim to help “students become effective organisers of collective change” regarding climate change by having them study topics such as “lobbying”, “civil disobedience”, “boycotting,” the “tactics” of “activist” groups, and more.
“Direct action, civil disobedience, boycott”: A draft document for a “climate action” Leaving Cert module would see children taught “how to effectively organise themselves to take action” on climate change, and study the “tactics” employed by “activists.”https://t.co/VoQg1VmtGI
— gript (@griptmedia) March 14, 2024
However, reacting to the draft, Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice said he “could not believe what I was reading in this document,” claiming that “it is absolutely scandalous the way people in departments are trying to get into the minds of youngsters in a bad way with the proposals that I have seen.”
He want on to warn that teaching students about tactics such as “civil disobedience” could lead to young people engaging in the destruction of private property as a form of protest, as has been seen in high profile protests by climate radicals such as Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil.
“CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE HAS BEEN MANIPULATED BY CLIMATE ALARMISTS TO EXCUSE THE DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY”
“The document advocates for ‘civil disobedience’ in combating climate change,” he said.
“And in what appears to be becoming a common trend for this government, what is quite an important phrase, goes undefined and is open to interpretation.
“The concept of civil disobedience is an important one in a free society. Traditionally, civil disobedience has been the intentional act of disobeying laws, regulations, or commands of a government or occupying international power to protest policies or actions, typically in a non-violent manner.
“But as we have seen in recent years, civil disobedience has been manipulated by climate alarmists to excuse the destruction of private property and the attempted destruction of significant cultural works.”
The TD further went on to criticise the impact the proposed plan may have on children emotionally, as the draft document says that “it is important to strike a balance between optimism and realism, as it can be difficult to keep hope about the potential to respond to the climate crisis”.
“THIS WILL DO NOTHING BUT INSTIL EXISTENTIAL FEAR IN YOUNG PEOPLE”
Fitzmaurice said this would “normalise emotional distress in adolescents in the context of climate change”, describing it as “wrong.”
“Why, in the name of god, are we scaring children to the point that they are becoming emotionally distressed about climate change?” he said.
“What benefit can that possibly have for society? I’m aware of first-hand incidences of children coming home from school worried about the world ending. Am I the only one who thinks this is cruel and unusual punishment to inflict on children, who should be getting educated to go out and live happy and productive lives?”
The draft specification contains the line ‘This subject helps students recognise that the future of the planet and its species, including humans, remains uncertain in the face of environmental degradation’ – a statement which Deputy Fitzmaurice described as “a deliberate distortion of reality.”
He added that this would “do nothing but instil existential fear in young people.”
“That is not a very useful approach in encouraging active citizenship and the effective stewardship of our planet for the next generation,” he added.
“DESIGNED TO INDOCTRINATE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH RADICAL AND UNHELPFUL IDEAS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE”
Fitzmaurice said that the document claims to want to cultivate “a high degree of thinking and problem solving” in students, which he said “would be a good thing” if it were true.
“But it is not true,” he said.
“Reading the document as a whole, it is clear that the intention is not to teach young people to look at the world analytically and think critically, as is claimed throughout the draft specification. No – it is a very carefully constructed tool which is designed to indoctrinate young people with radical and unhelpful ideas about climate change.”
He further claimed that the plan would also “brainwash” students about the perceived role of farming in climate change.
“THIS IS THE BRAINWASHING STUFF THAT UNDERPINS PEOPLES’ ACCEPTANCE OF THINGS”
“While the wording in this document around agriculture is deliberately vague and strainidly optimistic, allow me to translate it from civil service spoof into English,” Fitzmaurice said.
“‘Explore the role of Irish agriculture in conservation of biodiversity, climate regeneration and climate breakdown’ really means: ‘farming harms the planet and the role of agriculture in fighting climate change requires less production.’
“This is the brainwashing stuff that underpins peoples’ acceptance of things like the EU Nature Restoration Laws and The Habitats Directive as being net goods in the world. It is cynical language designed to set up the demonisation, and destruction, of Irish farming in a very cynical way.”
“We’ve seen campaigns in schools encouraging children to eat less meat and consume less dairy. Without any tangible benefit while having a direct impact on the livelihoods of farmers and the fabric of rural communities.
“THERE IS NO OTHER ISSUE THAT REASONABLE PEOPLE WOULD PURPORT TO BE SOLVABLE THROUGH ALARMISM”
“We have seen idols made of people in the climate debate, who are not experts in the field – Something which is quite disturbing, if you ask me – all in the name of heightening climate alarmism.
“Look at it like this: there is no other issue that reasonable people would purport to be solvable through alarmism. In fact, by causing alarm and anxiety in people you actually take away the sense of hope that is required to deal with issues in a constructive and mature manner.
“But when it comes to this topic, we’ve had half a century of alarmists claiming that the world was going to end by the early part of the next decade. And it might surprise some of these alarmists to learn that none of these predictions of doom have come to pass.”
Deputy Fitzmaurice says he will be making a detailed submission to the NCCA with respect to the contents of the consultation document.
As previously mentioned, the proposal is currently out for public consultation at the time of this article’s publication. The consultation period opened on February 2nd and closes on April 5th 2024. Individuals can weigh in with their thoughts online here.