A whistleblower is raising concerns over allegedly red flag policies by climate groups recruiting Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) students.
The whistleblower, Monika Jane Browatzki, contacted TUSD to warn that Arizona Youth Climate Coalition (AZYCC) and Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) lacked adequate safeguarding governance practices for students. Browatzki is an alumna of TUSD.
As Browatzki noted in a letter sent to the district, AZYCC recruits youths aged 11-23 through social media and directs prospective participants to submit their personal information to the organization, including their birth date and Instagram account handle, and encourages youths to join the organization’s server on Discord, a messaging platform. Discord requires users to be at least 13 years old to use the platform.
It is also unclear what access controls AZYCC puts in place for its Discord server. Discord has been recognized as one of the main platforms rendering youth vulnerable to grooming, sexual exploitation, and other harm.
Additionally, Browatzki noted that AZYCC and CCL regularly transport and supervise students in advocacy settings, yet reportedly lack clearly defined safeguarding policies, reporting procedures, and organizational accountability measures. AZYCC and CCL take minor students to Washington D.C. for a conference and lobbying activities, along with other youth programming and school district engagement.
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