HUMANE EDUCATION

In addition to providing our children with a solid educational foundation in math, reading, history, and science, it is important to give them the tools to be compassionate and responsible members of our society. Humane education, instruction in the humane care and treatment of animals, furthers this goal by cultivating empathy and compassion in our youth toward all living beings.

Many studies have confirmed that violence, including youth violence, is often first manifested in abuse toward animals. The link between violence toward animals and violence toward humans has been studied for over 25 years and results have consistently shown that a high percentage of violent criminals victimized animals. Humane education serves as a deterrent to violence and helps break the cycle of violence against humans and animals.

It is for these reasons that a number of states have mandated humane education in their schools. Fifteen states, including New York, have laws mandating humane education, and thirty-four others have statutes, expressions of legislative intent. or other demonstrated support of humane education.

While New Jersey law does not mandate the teaching of humane education, state law authorizes each Board of Education "to teach, by special courses or by emphasis in appropriate places of the curriculum, in a manner adapted to the ages and capabilities of the pupils in the several grades and departments, the principles of humanity as the same apply to kindness and avoidance of cruelty to animals and birds, both wild and domesticated." N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.1

The New Jersey Animal Welfare Task Force Report (November, 2004), included in its final recommendations that humane education should be made mandatory in New Jersey. The Report concluded: "Humane education is too important not to make mandatory."

Please contact the Montclair Board of Education and ask them to include humane education in the curriculum. The Board can begin by contacting HEART (Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers) at www.teachhumane.org for information on workshops which offer training for teachers on incorporating humane education into their lesson plans.

NOTE: New Jersey law states that public school pupils may refuse to take part in dissection and other school activities that harm animals. See below:

18A:35-4.25 Refusal to participate in certain school activities related to animal dissection, etc.

2. a. A public school pupil from kindergarten through grade 12 may refuse to dissect, vivisect, incubate, capture or otherwise harm or destroy animals or any parts thereof as part of a course of instruction.

b.A school shall notify pupils and their parents or guardians at the beginning of each school year of the right to decline to participate in the activities enumerated in subsection a. of this section and shall authorize parents or guardians to assert the right of their children to refuse to participate in these activities. Within two weeks of the receipt of the notice, the pupils, parents or guardians shall notify the school if the right to decline participation in the enumerated activities will be exercised.

c.Any pupil who chooses to refrain from participation in or observation of a portion of a course of instruction in accordance with this section shall be offered an alternative education project for the purpose of providing the pupil with the factual knowledge, information or experience required by the course of study. A pupil may refuse to participate in an alternative education project which involves or necessitates any harmful use of an animal or animal parts.

d.A pupil shall not be discriminated against, in grading or in any other manner, based upon a decision to exercise the rights afforded pursuant to this act.

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