Education and Food Security

Another site that lacks any formal policy is environmental education. Approaches to environmental education can vary greatly within BC since policy cannot direct what is being taught, the allocation of resources, teacher training and the development of textbooks and resources. Policy changes have seen little advancement, which could be due to the decentralized responsibility of implementing curriculum across school boards to ministries. Education is a site where learning can lead to political engagement and change. Society is at an environmental tipping point, the ball bearing at the top of a mountain that could be pushed towards crisis or reorganization. If we formally provide students with the knowledge to become aware and concerned citizens with worldviews that encompass nature, their choices may move society away from crisis. Not changing is not an option and the school should be a site where critical engagement with environmental issues is encouraged. Currently students environmental education is at the discretion of their teachers; some students may have teachers who are passionate about the health of oceans while others lose out on opportunities. Food Security provides a great space where students, teachers and communities can create partnerships and learn from one another. But until a formal educational policy is in place, environmental knowledge will continue to be crammed in where it fits and not acknowledged as important. Organizations in Victoria have found a way to enter into the school systems and fill the gap by educating students informally. Lifecycles Growing Schools Program implements long-term term organic food gardens on school grounds. "Gardens are used as an educational tool to engage students, teachers, parents, and school community members in learning how to grow food and as a classroom for these topics." For more information contact growingschools@lifecyclesproject.ca.