EVANSTON, IL (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Evanston Township High School students walked out of class Monday afternoon to draw attention to environmental concerns they have about the school.
Dozens of students marched behind a police escort from the school to Fountain Square where they were joined by a few Northwestern students and adults pushing for hiring someone to coordinate green initiatives at ETHS.
Senior Lily Aaron said having a devoted staffer who focuses on long term goals such as renewable energy and developing a climate change curriculum would bring consistency and continuity.
“Then, it doesn’t fall to students to try and organize walkouts on each and every little thing because, ultimately, while it is crucial to driving awareness, we need someone who is in ETHS far longer than any of us would be here,” said Aaron.
Students said their requests at school board meetings for such an addition have gone unanswered. A district spokeswoman said the school didn't sanction the walkout but respects students’ rights to express their views on issues that are important to them
Senior Nathaniel Orlov-Meyer cited a composting program that students started before COVID as an example of why such a position is needed. He doesn’t believe the administration was being punitive when it didn’t reinstate it.
“...I’d like not to think so. I just think there’s no one whose job it is to actually do that kind of thing,” Orlov-Meyer said.
Listen to WBBM Newsradio live here.
Related
