Help end the slaughter of animals in schools and ag opt-out. : Indybay

AB1685, by Assemblyman Johan Klehs, would do two things: end the slaughter of any animal on school property and permit students the opportunity to opt-out of certain portions of the agricultural class.

WHY SUPPORT:

• Approximately 30% of high schools surveyed slaughter on campus.

• Violent displays can harm children: Educators and child advocates contend slaughtering animals is an inappropriate activity for high school campuses.

• It is a poor use of limited educational monies.

• The Manteca School Board outlawed the practice in 2003 for health and animal welfare reasons.

• We should cultivate intelligent discourse and respect, instead of using violent methods to “educate.”

• Animal agricultural vocational education programs should focus on teaching marketable skills – the niche for slaughtering animals in the workforce is very limited. There are more job opportunities, for example, in the companion animal field.

• Two decades ago, California enacted a law permitting students to opt-out of dissections on moral grounds. No law currently exists to allow students in agricultural classes to opt-out of practices that cause harm to animals.

Please do 3 things

1. Email members of the Assembly Committee on Education and urge them to support AB1685.

2. Attend the hearing May 4th. It will be around 1:30 (exact time and location to be determined later)

3. Pass this alert on to others.

Members of the Assembly Committee on Education:

assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, Chair
assemblymember.Goldberg@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Juan Arambula
assemblymember.Arambula@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Loni Hancock
assemblymember.hancock@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Carol Liu
assemblymember.Liu@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Fran Pavley
assemblymember.Pavley@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Tom Umberg
assemblymember.Umberg@assembly.ca.gov

assemblymember Mark Wyland
assemblymember.Wyland@assembly.ca.gov