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This viewpoint concerns the places and spaces for youth participation in climate activism in formal education and considers what is – and what ought to be – the role of schools and teachers in nurturing and responding to climate crisis activism. Reflecting on our work on young people’s perspectives of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) and associated anti-fracking protests, we consider some of the barriers to climate activism in formal educational spaces associated with petro-pedagogy. Finally, we outline the contribution of research in children’s geographies and education to counter regimes of obstruction to climate activism in schools, considering its relevance to young people’s participation in decision-making, educational policy, and practice.