NYC schools will excuse kids who ditch for climate change rally

Cut class for climate change!

The Department of Education will excuse city kids who ditch school next Friday to partake in a Manhattan climate change protest, officials said Thursday.

“TEN YEARS. We have ten years to save the planet,” Mayor Bill de Blasio cautioned in a tweet. “Today’s leaders are making decisions for our environment that our kids will have to live with. New York City stands with our young people. They’re our conscience. We support the 9/20 #ClimateStrike.”

Legions of adolescent activists across the globe are expected to demand immediate action to combat climate change in advance of a major UN conference on the issue next week.

As long as mom and dad sanction their principled truancy, absent kids won’t have attendance records dinged, the DOE said.

“We applaud our students when they raise their voices in a safe and respectful manner on issues that matter to them,” the DOE tweeted.

Younger children will only be able to leave school and join the rally in the company of a parent, the department said.

Participants will assemble at Foley Square in Manhattan at noon before a rally at Battery Square Park expected to last until 5 p.m.

“No longer can we allow the fossil fuel and agricultural lobbies to control the climate change debate,” a group of organizers wrote.  “Instead, we are holding our governments morally accountable to youth and the already numerous victims of the crisis.”

While the DOE was widely lauded by students, parents, and local officials for the allowance, support was not universal.

One veteran Queens teacher said he supported the rally but questioned excusing kids from school for an entire day.

“Maybe they would be better served learning about the subject in class,” he said. “Maybe I’m behind the times.”

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