FoI Request: School Climate Strikes and the Fridays for Future Movement

The request was partially successful.

elizabeth thomson

Good morning,

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

I am requesting this information on behalf of Amnesty International UK, to help us understand the position of Local Authorities regarding the climate strike actions taken by school pupils in Scotland. We need to be able to advise our young activists, youth groups, and teachers about their potential participation in climate strikes and any action that may be taken against pupils with unauthorised absences.

Please send me:

1. The position of your local authority towards climate strikes and authorised/unauthorised absences from school in order to attend any Friday climate strikes, as of the date you respond to this request.

2. Confirmation of whether climate strikers will be recorded as authorised or unauthorised absences by schools in your Local Authority area, and whether any punitive action will be taken against pupils or schools for involvement in climate strikes.

3. Details of any changes to the position or policy towards climate strike actions and authorised/unauthorised absences in your Local Authority during 2019.

4. Copies of any letters that your Local Authority has sent to schools or to all parents/carers in your authority area during 2019, that relate to climate strikes or the Fridays for Future Movement.

I would like the above information to be provided to me in electronic format.

If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.

If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Elizabeth Thomson
Campaigner
Amnesty International

East Dunbartonshire Council

Thank you for you Freedom of Information request.

This is an automated response. Your message has been received by East
Dunbartonshire Council.

Your request will be dealt with promptly and a full response will be issued
within 20 working days.

Should you not receive a response within this period, or you have any other
queries about your request please contact: [East Dunbartonshire Council request email] or 0141
578 8057.

DISCLAIMER:
This email and any files transmitted with it are intended for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. It may contain information of a confidential or privileged nature.

If you have received this email in error please notify the originator of the message and destroy the e-mail.

East Dunbartonshire Council can not be held responsible for viruses, therefore please scan all attachments.

Any personal data contained in email communications with East Dunbartonshire Council will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2016/679 ("GDPR") and all other relevant national data protection laws.

Further information detailing how East Dunbartonshire holds and uses personal information and copies of privacy notices used throughout the Council are available on our website at:
https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/council...

The Council?s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at [email address] or on Tel: 0300 123 4510.

The views expressed in this message are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of East Dunbartonshire Council who will not necessarily be bound by its contents.

East Dunbartonshire Council

Dear Ms Thomson

I refer to your recent request for information under the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002 regarding the climate strike actions taken
by school pupils in Scotland.

Please find response below.

1. The position of your local authority towards climate strikes and
authorised/unauthorised absences from school in order to attend any Friday
climate strikes, as of the date you respond to this request.

Absence from school would be deemed unauthorised.

2. Confirmation of whether climate strikers will be recorded as
authorised or unauthorised absences by schools in your Local Authority
area, and whether any punitive action will be taken against pupils or
schools for involvement in climate strikes.

As for Q1

3. Details of any changes to the position or policy towards climate
strike actions and authorised/unauthorised absences in your Local Authority
during 2019.

There has been no change.

4. Copies of any letters that your Local Authority has sent to schools
or to all parents/carers in your authority area during 2019, that relate to
climate strikes or the Fridays for Future Movement.

Advice has been issued by email to schools but not to parents by the
authority.

I hope the above is of assistance to you. However, if you are
dissatisfied with the way in which East Dunbartonshire Council has dealt
with your request, you are entitled to require the Council to review its
decision. Please note that in order for a review to take place you must:

· Lodge a written requirement for a review within 40 workings days of
the date of this letter.
· Include a correspondence address and a description of the original
request and the reason why you are dissatisfied.

· Address your request to the Freedom of Information Officer

Stephen Armstrong
Freedom of Information/Data Protection Officer
East Dunbartonshire Council

Email: [East Dunbartonshire Council request email] Tel: 0141 578 8057

The review will be handled by an employee who has not been involved in the
original decision. You will receive notice of the results of the review
within 20 working days of receipt of your request. The notice will state
the findings of the review as well as details of how to appeal to the
Scottish Information Commissioner if you are still dissatisfied with the
Council?s response. You must request an internal review by the Council
before a complaint can be directed to the Scottish Information
Commissioner.

Jacqui

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacqui MacDonald
Chief Education Officer

East Dunbartonshire Council
12 Strathkelvin Place
KIRKINTILLOCH
Glasgow
G66 1TJ

Tel: 0141 578 8739
Fax: 0141 578 8934
e-mail: [email address]
http: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

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DISCLAIMER:
This email and any files transmitted with it are intended for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. It may contain information of a confidential or privileged nature.

If you have received this email in error please notify the originator of the message and destroy the e-mail.

East Dunbartonshire Council can not be held responsible for viruses, therefore please scan all attachments.

Any personal data contained in email communications with East Dunbartonshire Council will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2016/679 ("GDPR") and all other relevant national data protection laws.

Further information detailing how East Dunbartonshire holds and uses personal information and copies of privacy notices used throughout the Council are available on our website at:
https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/council...

The Council?s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at [email address] or on Tel: 0300 123 4510.

The views expressed in this message are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of East Dunbartonshire Council who will not necessarily be bound by its contents.

elizabeth thomson

Dear Jacqui,

Thanks for your speedy response. I would like to request a copy of the advice circulated to schools which you reference here under FOISA.

Yours faithfully,

elizabeth thomson

East Dunbartonshire Council

Thank you for you Freedom of Information request.

This is an automated response. Your message has been received by East
Dunbartonshire Council.

Your request will be dealt with promptly and a full response will be issued
within 20 working days.

Should you not receive a response within this period, or you have any other
queries about your request please contact: [East Dunbartonshire Council request email] or 0141
578 8057.

DISCLAIMER:
This email and any files transmitted with it are intended for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. It may contain information of a confidential or privileged nature.

If you have received this email in error please notify the originator of the message and destroy the e-mail.

East Dunbartonshire Council can not be held responsible for viruses, therefore please scan all attachments.

Any personal data contained in email communications with East Dunbartonshire Council will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2016/679 ("GDPR") and all other relevant national data protection laws.

Further information detailing how East Dunbartonshire holds and uses personal information and copies of privacy notices used throughout the Council are available on our website at:
https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/council...

The Council?s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at [email address] or on Tel: 0300 123 4510.

The views expressed in this message are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of East Dunbartonshire Council who will not necessarily be bound by its contents.

East Dunbartonshire Council

Dear Ms Thomson

Thank you for your further request for information.

We are unable to provide any written advice to school - it was discussed at
a Head Teacher meeting but there is not a recorded minute of these
meetings.

I hope the above is of assistance to you. However, if you are
dissatisfied with the way in which East Dunbartonshire Council has dealt
with your request, you are entitled to require the Council to review its
decision. Please note that in order for a review to take place you must:

· Lodge a written requirement for a review within 40 workings days of
the date of this letter.
· Include a correspondence address and a description of the original
request and the reason why you are dissatisfied.

· Address your request to the Freedom of Information Officer

Stephen Armstrong
Freedom of Information/Data Protection Officer
East Dunbartonshire Council

Email: [East Dunbartonshire Council request email] Tel: 0141 578 8057

The review will be handled by an employee who has not been involved in the
original decision. You will receive notice of the results of the review
within 20 working days of receipt of your request. The notice will state
the findings of the review as well as details of how to appeal to the
Scottish Information Commissioner if you are still dissatisfied with the
Council?s response. You must request an internal review by the Council
before a complaint can be directed to the Scottish Information
Commissioner.

Jacqui

Jacqui MacDonald
Chief Education Officer

East Dunbartonshire Council
12 Strathkelvin Place
KIRKINTILLOCH
Glasgow
G66 1TJ

Tel: 0141 578 8739
Fax: 0141 578 8934
e-mail: [email address]
http: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

NB: If this email is marked as OFFICIAL -SENSITIVE it must NOT be
forwarded / resent or copied without the express permission of the sender.
If not marked it should be regarded as OFFICIAL communication / data under
the Government Security Classifications (GSC) guidance.

Saving, deleting, printing / destruction of this email (and any
attachments) should be done securely and in accordance with the GSC
guidance and your own agency data security management policies.

If you believe this email has been sent to you in error you must inform the
sender immediately.

Misuse of any information contained in (or attached to) an OFFICIAL (and/or
SENSITIVE) email may result in criminal prosecution.

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