Editorial Issue 109, Spring 2016


General Editor Tim Grant


Editorial Assistant Amy Stubbs


Editing Amy Stubbs, Tim Grant, Tiina Vilu


Regional Editors Canada Gareth Thomson


Laurelei Primeau Bob Adamson Raissa Marks Craig White Steve Daniel Janet Barlow Christine Smith


Barbara Hanbidge Remy Rodden


United States Karen Schedler


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Kay Antunez de Mayolo, N. California, (650) 773-4866 Helen de la Maza Mary Lou Smith Dean Goodwin Cathy Meyer


Shelene Codner


Laura Downey-Skochdopole Jeanine Huss Christine Voyer


Sandra Ryack-Bell John Guyton Bob Coulter


Lauren Madden Lois Nixon Sara Ivey


Anne DiMonti Tim Brown Jen Cirillo


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Design and Production


Cover photo by Mike Derblich, Evergreen; Layout and cover design by Lisa Rebnord; printing by Annex Publishing and Printing, Simcoe, Ontario, on Forest Stewardship Council® certified paper.


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ARLIER THIS SPRING I participated in a campaign to save the position of the lone environmental education coordinator in the biggest school district in Quebec, Canada’s second largest prov-


ince. Although the coordinator was a well-regarded champion of many successful district-wide programs over a 17-year period, the cruel hand of fate had determined that her position would soon be eliminated. What made this cost-cutting decision all the more painful, was that hers was the only such position in the province. Educators in many other school districts had benefitted from her innovations. Once the shock wore off, environmental educators across the prov-


ince began to organize. A private Facebook group was established and petitions were launched that eventually gained thousands of signatures. Non-profits across the province mobilized their members, and teachers garnered the support of their union. (My own small role was to recruit educators in other provinces to write letters of concern to district officials.) Before long, the efforts of many attracted considerable attention from Quebec media. Once that happened, parents joined the fray and the pressure grew steadily on the school district to reverse its decision. To many observers, it seemed particularly


odd to eliminate the position of someone who led conservation programs that saved millions of dollars in energy, water and waste costs.


More than a few observers noted that those annual savings far surpassed the coordinator’s salary. At a time when governments at all levels are under pressure to reduce carbon emissions, it seemed particularly per- verse that her position was going to be eliminated. Not surprisingly, much of the media coverage framed the decision as “penny-wise and pound foolish”. Green Teacher readers will appreciate that the value of environmental


education coordinators at all levels of government goes far beyond dollars and cents. In school districts, such positions confirm to all that learning about – and for – the environment is essential. They lend legitimacy to every teacher, school and parent group that want to undertake environ- mental projects. Most often, those projects involve partnerships with the local community and generate positive media attention for schools. Most importantly, the coordinators become a conduit through which


innovative new ideas and learning strategies funnel down to the teachers and students willing to test them. The coordinators alert schools about funding opportunities. They organize trainings and other professional development sessions that provide educators with the confidence to adopt new curriculum. At this moment in history, it seems incongruous to be fighting to save the few environmental education positions that currently exist. Shouldn’t we be expanding the number of positions instead? I am happy to report that the collective efforts of many finally won


the day at Quebec’s largest school board. I would like to think that when the officials announced their reversal, they did so with a greater appreci- ation of how critically-important environmental education has become in this millennium. If true, that appreciation will not have come a moment too soon.


–Tim Grant Page 2 GREEN TEACHER 109


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