yet made that connection to animals. It is important for all of us who are aware of the injustices towards animals to plant the seeds of kindness in any way we can. Activists can do many things to help animals used in education. The following are some of my own ideas as well as some from AAVS members who work hard through grassroots efforts to make animal use in education a thing of the past.
By Nicole Green
I
n the ten plus years I have served AAVS’s constituents, I have had the opportunity to inspire and motivate countless individuals who want to make a difference for animals used in the education arena. It is not just educators, students, and parents who are working to make change for animals; passionate activists and others not affiliated with a particular school or university are also making their voices heard on behalf of the animals who are unnecessarily probed behind the closed doors of educational facilities. In my view, everyone has the ability to educate. If you care about animals, and you see injustice in your own community or in the world, it is your right and responsibility to take a stand and use your voice to speak out for the animals who share our Earth. Taking the time to open the eyes of a child about being kind to animals, whether you are a parent/guardian, grandparent, aunt or uncle, activist, or concerned community
member, can be simple and rewarding. As a parent, I not only want to instill humane values in my own son, but I also want to reach out to my community and encourage children to be compassionate towards all animals. I came across a noteworthy humane education program created by Best Friends Animal Society called “I Read to Animals.” This is a public outreach program, which allows an “educational ambassador” to give elementary-aged children the opportunity to read to either live animals through a shelter program or stuffed animals (in the event that the venue doesn’t allow real animals), in a public library or classroom setting. Not only is this program educational because it teaches children how to improve their reading skills, but it also provides an environment for healthy relationships with animals. Ultimately, “I Read to Animals” promotes an appreciation and respect for all creatures. This is an example of something you too can do to educate kids who have not
22 2011 Humane Teachers for Humane Students
PETITION SAVVY One of our constituents in Florida was outraged after a story broke in Miami about a teenage boy who killed several cats, and she decided to set up an online petition to stop cat dissection in the Miami school district. Isabelle was appalled that cat dissection is still practiced and decided to take a stand in her own community by not only setting up an online petition, which was very successful, but also by attending school board meetings. She even borrowed items from Animalearn’s The Science Bank to share with the district to make it aware that there are wonderful educational tools that can be used instead of dead animals! Online petitions are a great way to get a lot of signatures, but be sure to read the terms of use carefully. DISSEMINATE DISSECTION KITS I have spoken to a number of individuals who want to make a difference for animals; and one person who has really made an impression on me is Barbara, a dedicated AAVS member from Minnesota. Barbara works tirelessly to be a voice for animals and contacts me every year to talk about what she can do to help spread the word even further. As a member of
PHOTO By Veer
Helping Animals in Education
BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION In this world of rapidly growing technology, take every opportunity to contribute to blogs and/or news articles that are pertinent to animals used in education. Use your social networking accounts like Facebook or Twitter to address concerns or issues in your area. This is a great way to spearhead conversation about topics and create understanding among your friends and family members.