An Etobicoke mother is upset that seven-and eight-year-old kids were shown a library presentation consisting of an emotional speech by child climate activist Greta Thunberg and a carbon clock predicting humans have eight years left to act before the point of no return for saving humanity from climate change.
During the presentation at least one child shouted out something to the effect of “We’re all going to die!” or “I don’t want to die!” in response to a clock showing two scenarios of global temperatures rising above the point of no return, the direr one showing a clock ticking down with only eight years left on it.
The bleak message throughout the presentation and the outburst about death upset some of the children, according to Lejla Blazevic, the mother of an eight-year-old grade three student who came home distressed after she left the presentation thinking she only had eight more years to live.
A picture Blazevic’s daughter drew of the carbon countdown clock from the presentation elementary school children as young as seven.
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The Greta Thunberg speech played to the children was the famous one from when she spoke at the UN Climate Action Summit in September, rising to international superstardom. Blazevic is still wondering why the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) included such an emotionally charged in a presentation given to young children.
“My message is, we’ll be watching you,” says Thunberg near the start of her viral speech, addressing those in power. “This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school, on the other side of the ocean. Yet, you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you! You have stolen my dreams, and my childhood with your empty words. And yet, I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying,” Thunberg says in the speech shown to the kids at the elementary school in Etobicoke, the western part of Toronto.
The only other part of the presentation was a popular climate change carbon clock that counts down the time certain climate scientists predict humans have left before the effects of increased carbon in the atmosphere are irreversible.
The Post Millennial was provided audio recordings of three meetings, a phone call with the superintendent and emails between Blazevic and TDSB representatives. Blazevic requested the meetings after her daughter came home distraught from seeing the presentation at Elmbank Junior Middle Academy.
“She was shocked. She was like, ‘Mommy! They told us today that we are going to die in eight years.’ She was totally shocked,” said Blazevic.
Before her first meeting with school staff, the librarian sent Blazevic an email explaining the presentation he gave to the children.
“The theme for ECO initiatives at the TDSB this year is ‘Students as Agents of Change’. Greta was 15 at the time she gave the speech. The “message” of her speech for our students was that they can make a difference and the future of our planet concerns our children most directly.
“It is our intention to use the leadership and example of Greta to spur discussion and “action” on climate change. Ms. Davis’ class will be analyzing the data referenced and discussing dissenting opinions and eventually some of the changes and solutions that are on the horizon. BTW, our own Prime Minister has yet to have the audience Greta did.
“It was not the intention to cause distress in our students. Climate change issues are facing all of us. Joylea’s concerns and fears are the very reason we need to respond. I encourage parents to discuss climate change issues. As adults, we all need to reflect on the impact our current life style choices will have on future generations.”
Part of an email the librarian sent to Blazevic.
At the first meeting, the librarian further explained the reason behind showing a de facto doomsday clock.
“Well the purpose of the clock is to give a sense–there’s apparently–the scientists say there’s a C02 budget and there are two scenarios. One is 1.5 degrees of warming and the other is two degrees of warming. Two degrees of warming says that our CO2 budget is 25 years and the 1.5 degree says it’s eight years,” said librarian Timothy Du Vernet at the first meeting.
“Even though Greta is a child, here she is talking at the UN to adults, a child can make change–that was our main focus,” teacher Suzanne Petillot said at the first meeting Blazevic had with the school. Petillot explained their reasoning for showing the children the video. Petillot also told Blazevic that only one child said they were all going to die and she stepped in right away saying, “No, we are not.”
“My concern, everyone’s concern, and part of her role is mental health, so if there’s something–the unfortunate reality is, that whether it’s this video or another video, the eco elements are everywhere,” Du Vernet explained to Blazevic on why they did the presentation.
“So I think my concern at this point is … my daughter came home, she said she was taught at school that she was going to die. And she said that many of the other children in the class also exclaimed that ‘I don’t want to die.’ I think that this might of been a traumatic situation for all the children. I think we all are aware that the climate change information, especially when given to very young children such as eight- and seven-year-olds, is shown to cause a lot of depression in children, PTSD and even suicide. So I think it’s really important that I get to the bottom of what happened,” said Blazevic said to her daughter’s teacher, librarian and principal.
The teacher and librarian said the reaction from many of the other children was positive.
“I had another student that came up to me and she was really excited about this as well. She participated so much,” said Petillot in the meeting.
“Children were shaking and children were saying, ‘I don’t want to die,’” Blazevic said, retelling her daughter’s version of events.
“We were talking about climate change. We talked about how Greta is a young child … she’s been a role model for others, especially for adults in powerful positions. And even though you are kids, you too can make a change,” said Petillot shortly after in the meeting.
“We went to a workshop yesterday, where clearly the message to us was, that we need to be changing our message, and the message is not just a little about the facts, but also what we can do, the hope we can have in making a difference,” Du Vernet further explained on how they were changing the climate change lessons for young children.
“It’s very current, students walking out of school on strike for the earth. And this is happening, and it’s still going to continue to happen. So this is another reason why, it’s in the news. It’s in the news almost every day, about children walking out for the earth,” said Petillot, explaining why they chose to show Thunberg’s speech.
When Blazevic asked if the staff think it’s good or bad, the principal stepped in.
“It’s happening and current. We can’t decide good or bad, but, is it effective? Is it something having students use their voice to say to adults… ‘You guys need to do something different and we’re not happy that in 30 years the worlds going to be…”
“We’re going to suffer the consequences,” Petillot jumped in.
“We want our students to make informed decisions. And so the only way they can make informed decisions is by having information,” Du Vernet added.
“So it can be a doom and gloom scenario, especially for kids ages eight through ten, these are formative years,” Blazevic responded.
The TDSB’s curriculum also includes a theme of “Students as Agents of Change” in which teachers promote children getting active in what they believe in.
Blazevic is concerned that this theme may be inappropriate for young children who are being taught what to believe and to act on those beliefs, despite lacking critical thinking skills needed to decide for themselves.
“The issue with the presentation is that the children were traumatized. They were told they were going to die in eight years. Even if it [was a misunderstanding], because of their reaction [the clock] told them there is something wrong,” said Blazevic told The Post Millennial. “It’s not developmentally appropriate for a grade two-three class.”
“They did have a clock, but it wasn’t a countdown to the end of the earth or anything like that. What it was, I’ve seen this all over the place, is that it was a countdown clock of ‘We might be reaching the point where can no longer turn things around,’” said TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird in a phone interview with The Post Millennial.
“So then you have a boy that yells out something like, ‘We’re all going to die.’ It was said in jest, the teacher also immediately jumped on that and said, ‘No, that’s not the case.’ We followed up with that kid’s mom, and they weren’t worried,” said Bird. “‘We also followed up with the rest of the class so they knew that wasn’t the case, and no one seemed to get the sense that that was the case.”
Asked about the TDSB’s climate change curriculum, and the suggestion they’re promoting children to become climate activists, Bird said that is not the school board’s goal.
“We encourage our students to have their voices be heard. So, you know, if that’s activism then I guess that is, but we’re not trying to change them into climate change activist at all. If you believe strongly about something, whether it be the environment or something else, talk about it. You can take part, you can do things to help the environment, to help other issues that you think are important, that kind of thing,” said Bird.
“Everyone was talking about [climate change] at the time, but of course we aren’t going to do any doom and gloom kind of presentation that was suggested, we just wouldn’t do that,” said Bird.
“At the second meeting the principal actually admitted, he said, ‘If I could take that clock back I would’ve done it,’” said Lejla Blazevic.
Blazevic also says the school officials’ story changed several times.
“At the third meeting [the principal] wanted to change that. He said, “Actually, November 4 was the second time I spoke to the child. I spoke to the child for the first time before. The teachers and the librarian, we all knew who this one child was before the first meeting.’”
Blazevic says the school staff first said they learned later who the child was because of a pattern of behaviour.
“The reason why I’m here is because something doesn’t make sense. If you say this child has said this before, and when I came to the meeting, which was two weeks after the actual event, the teacher still didn’t know who that one child was. And you’re telling me the child has had a habit of saying this even before the presentation,” Blazevic said at the third meeting.
“Well I did say, he has said that before. He has said, “I’m going to die” before, he’s said, ‘Oh my God, we’re all going to die.’ He’s said that before. Which is what led the teacher to think that that was the child who had said it,” said Principal Michael George of Elmbank Junior Middle Academy.
“The teacher spoke to the class again as a follow-up and spoke to the student specifically.”
Blazevic’s says she believes her daughter’s version of events, that many of the kids said they didn’t want to die when presented with the countdown clock.
“My daughter is very clear on what happened. The majority of the class yelled out “I don’t want to die” … I spoke to a little seven-year-old girl from her classroom and she nodded her head, and she said, ‘I don’t mind dying soon.’ And me and her father were shocked, we looked at her, and she said “because that means I’m not going to get married.” So what I know 100 percent is what my daughter is telling me, who is an excellent student,” said Blazevic.
“She is very good,” George concurred. Blazevic says her daughter is the top student in her class.
“The teachers that were there … are quite sure that there was the one, maybe the two students who had said that,” George said.
Blazevic also had a phone conversation with the superintendent.
TDSB superintendentLorraine Linton told the mother that the school’s staff were going to have a celebration to flip the script on the previous stark presentation.
“The conversation shouldn’t be at any point, ‘We’re going to die in a few years.’ … Somehow this turned into somebody yelling out, ‘We’re all going to die,’ and then everybody had to address it,” Linton said in the conversation with Blazevic.
Linton also explained the school staff were working with the TDSB ECO school department to flip the script.
“The children that I spoke to, that were shown this presentation, they’re all in unison saying it was never brought up again, it was never reflected on, it was never clarified. They’re in unison all saying that,” said Blazevic in the phone conversation with the superintendent. “We don’t know how many children went home with this message, it could’ve been all of these classes that were shown this presentation.”
“They never asked the children what your voice is,” said Blazevic in a phone interview with The Post Millennial. “Instead, they are telling the children the voice they need to have and this voice you can share.”
Hallmark launching a streaming service with two new original series, and Bill Skarsgård out for revenge in “Boy Kills World” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Alex Garland’s “Civil War” starring Kirsten Dunst, Natasha Rothwell’s heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone” and Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts.
NEW MOVIES TO STREAM SEPT. 9-15
— Alex Garland’s “Civil War” is finally making its debut on MAX on Friday. The film stars Kirsten Dunst as a veteran photojournalist covering a violent war that’s divided America; She reluctantly allows an aspiring photographer, played by Cailee Spaeny, to tag along as she, an editor (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and a reporter (Wagner Moura) make the dangerous journey to Washington, D.C., to interview the president (Nick Offerman), a blustery, rising despot who has given himself a third term, taken to attacking his citizens and shut himself off from the press. In my review, I called it a bellowing and haunting experience; Smart and thought-provoking with great performances. It’s well worth a watch.
— Joey King stars in Netflix’s adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s “Uglies,” about a future society in which everyone is required to have beautifying cosmetic surgery at age 16. Streaming on Friday, McG directed the film, in which King’s character inadvertently finds herself in the midst of an uprising against the status quo. “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes plays King’s best friend.
— Bill Skarsgård is out for revenge against the woman (Famke Janssen) who killed his family in “Boy Kills World,” coming to Hulu on Friday. Moritz Mohr directed the ultra-violent film, of which Variety critic Owen Gleiberman wrote: “It’s a depraved vision, yet I got caught up in its kick-ass revenge-horror pizzazz, its disreputable commitment to what it was doing.”
— The year was 2006. Snow Patrol, the Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band, released an album, “Eyes Open,” producing the biggest hit of their career: “Chasing Cars.” A lot has happened in the time since — three, soon to be four quality full-length albums, to be exact. On Friday, the band will release “The Forest Is the Path,” their first new album in seven years. Anthemic pop-rock is the name of the game across songs of love and loss, like “All,”“The Beginning” and “This Is the Sound Of Your Voice.”
— For fans of raucous guitar music, Jordan Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller, “NOPE,” provided a surprising, if tiny, thrill. One of the leads, Emerald “Em” Haywood portrayed by Keke Palmer, rocks a Jesus Lizard shirt. (Also featured through the film: Rage Against the Machine, Wipers, Mr Bungle, Butthole Surfers and Earth band shirts.) The Austin noise rock band are a less than obvious pick, having been signed to the legendary Touch and Go Records and having stopped releasing new albums in 1998. That changes on Friday the 13th, when “Rack” arrives. And for those curious: The Jesus Lizard’s intensity never went away.
— Hallmark launched a streaming service called Hallmark+ on Tuesday with two new original series, the scripted drama “The Chicken Sisters” and unscripted series “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert.” If you’re a Hallmark holiday movies fan, you know Chabert. She’s starred in more than 30 of their films and many are holiday themed. Off camera, Chabert has a passion for throwing parties and entertaining. In “Celebrations,” deserving people are surprised with a bash in their honor — planned with Chabert’s help. “The Chicken Sisters” stars Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick and Lea Thompson in a show about employees at rival chicken restaurants in a small town. The eight-episode series is based on a novel of the same name.
— Natasha Rothwell of “Insecure” and “The White Lotus” fame created and stars in a new heartfelt comedy for Hulu called “How to Die Alone.” She plays Mel, a broke, go-along-to-get-along, single, airport employee who, after a near-death experience, makes the conscious decision to take risks and pursue her dreams. Rothwell has been working on the series for the past eight years and described it to The AP as “the most vulnerable piece of art I’ve ever put into the world.” Like Mel, Rothwell had to learn to bet on herself to make the show she wanted to make. “In the Venn diagram of me and Mel, there’s significant overlap,” said Rothwell. It premieres Friday on Hulu.
— Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise and Betty Gilpin star in a new drama for Starz called “Three Women,” about entrepreneur Sloane, homemaker Lina and student Maggie who are each stepping into their power and making life-changing decisions. They’re interviewed by a writer named Gia (Woodley.) The series is based on a 2019 best-selling book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo. “Three Women” premieres Friday on Starz.
— Sylvester Stallone’s second season of “Tulsa King” debuts Sunday on Paramount+. Stallone plays Dwight Manfredi, a mafia boss who was recently released from prison after serving 25 years. He’s sent to Tulsa to set up a new crime syndicate. The series is created by Taylor Sheridan of “Yellowstone” fame.
— One thing about the title of Focus Entertainment’s Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 — you know exactly what you’re in for. You are Demetrian Titus, a genetically enhanced brute sent into battle against the Tyranids, an insectoid species with an insatiable craving for human flesh. You have a rocket-powered suit of armor and an arsenal of ridiculous weapons like the “Chainsword,” the “Thunderhammer” and the “Melta Rifle,” so what could go wrong? Besides the squishy single-player mode, there are cooperative missions and six-vs.-six free-for-alls. You can suit up now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Likewise, Wild Bastards isn’t exactly the kind of title that’s going to attract fans of, say, Animal Crossing. It’s another sci-fi shooter, but the protagonists are a gang of 13 varmints — aliens and androids included — who are on the run from the law. Each outlaw has a distinctive set of weapons and special powers: Sarge, for example, is a robot with horse genes, while Billy the Squid is … well, you get the idea. Australian studio Blue Manchu developed the 2019 cult hit Void Bastards, and this Wild-West-in-space spinoff has the same snarky humor and vibrant, neon-drenched cartoon look. Saddle up on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch or PC.
Former President Donald Trump is on the brink of a significant financial decision that could have far-reaching implications for both his personal wealth and the future of his fledgling social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). As the lockup period on his shares in TMTG, which owns Truth Social, nears its end, Trump could soon be free to sell his substantial stake in the company. However, the potential payday, which makes up a large portion of his net worth, comes with considerable risks for Trump and his supporters.
Trump’s stake in TMTG comprises nearly 59% of the company, amounting to 114,750,000 shares. As of now, this holding is valued at approximately $2.6 billion. These shares are currently under a lockup agreement, a common feature of initial public offerings (IPOs), designed to prevent company insiders from immediately selling their shares and potentially destabilizing the stock. The lockup, which began after TMTG’s merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), is set to expire on September 25, though it could end earlier if certain conditions are met.
Should Trump decide to sell his shares after the lockup expires, the market could respond in unpredictable ways. The sale of a substantial number of shares by a major stakeholder like Trump could flood the market, potentially driving down the stock price. Daniel Bradley, a finance professor at the University of South Florida, suggests that the market might react negatively to such a large sale, particularly if there aren’t enough buyers to absorb the supply. This could lead to a sharp decline in the stock’s value, impacting both Trump’s personal wealth and the company’s market standing.
Moreover, Trump’s involvement in Truth Social has been a key driver of investor interest. The platform, marketed as a free speech alternative to mainstream social media, has attracted a loyal user base largely due to Trump’s presence. If Trump were to sell his stake, it might signal a lack of confidence in the company, potentially shaking investor confidence and further depressing the stock price.
Trump’s decision is also influenced by his ongoing legal battles, which have already cost him over $100 million in legal fees. Selling his shares could provide a significant financial boost, helping him cover these mounting expenses. However, this move could also have political ramifications, especially as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race.
Trump Media’s success is closely tied to Trump’s political fortunes. The company’s stock has shown volatility in response to developments in the presidential race, with Trump’s chances of winning having a direct impact on the stock’s value. If Trump sells his stake, it could be interpreted as a lack of confidence in his own political future, potentially undermining both his campaign and the company’s prospects.
Truth Social, the flagship product of TMTG, has faced challenges in generating traffic and advertising revenue, especially compared to established social media giants like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Despite this, the company’s valuation has remained high, fueled by investor speculation on Trump’s political future. If Trump remains in the race and manages to secure the presidency, the value of his shares could increase. Conversely, any missteps on the campaign trail could have the opposite effect, further destabilizing the stock.
As the lockup period comes to an end, Trump faces a critical decision that could shape the future of both his personal finances and Truth Social. Whether he chooses to hold onto his shares or cash out, the outcome will likely have significant consequences for the company, its investors, and Trump’s political aspirations.
Cochise County, AZ — Law enforcement officials in Arizona have apprehended Ronald Lee Syvrud, a 66-year-old resident of Cochise County, after a manhunt was launched following alleged death threats he made against former President Donald Trump. The threats reportedly surfaced in social media posts over the past two weeks, as Trump visited the US-Mexico border in Cochise County on Thursday.
Syvrud, who hails from Benson, Arizona, located about 50 miles southeast of Tucson, was captured by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday afternoon. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed his arrest, stating, “This subject has been taken into custody without incident.”
In addition to the alleged threats against Trump, Syvrud is wanted for multiple offences, including failure to register as a sex offender. He also faces several warrants in both Wisconsin and Arizona, including charges for driving under the influence and a felony hit-and-run.
The timing of the arrest coincided with Trump’s visit to Cochise County, where he toured the US-Mexico border. During his visit, Trump addressed the ongoing border issues and criticized his political rival, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, for what he described as lax immigration policies. When asked by reporters about the ongoing manhunt for Syvrud, Trump responded, “No, I have not heard that, but I am not that surprised and the reason is because I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys.”
This incident marks the latest in a series of threats against political figures during the current election cycle. Just earlier this month, a 66-year-old Virginia man was arrested on suspicion of making death threats against Vice President Kamala Harris and other public officials.
