Interview with: Beate Skretting, Mayor Grimstad · Reporter: Chace Olsen
When children asked for more books instead of only working on computers, Grimstad set aside money in its budget. Mayor Beate Skretting says it shows why adults should listen.
The request came from a discussion with the children’s council about what mattered to its members. Skretting tells ChildPress that the municipality listened and put money aside to buy more books for schools.
She also supports a proposal to give pupils 15 minutes each day to discuss news. Children could talk about their own lives, their local community and events in the wider world. Skretting sees this as a useful way to learn and form opinions.
Not everything that looks like news is true, she points out. She raises concerns about made-up information, including material created with artificial intelligence. Talking about news together could help pupils question what they see.
Asked who should help support children, Skretting points to the whole community. She wants to hear different views, including those of young people, older residents and people who have recently moved to the city.
She supports young people interviewing adults and sharing their findings through journalism. Her advice to children is to speak up about the issues that matter to them. Her message to adults is to listen.