HSUS has been publishing a newsletter for school children—KIND News—since 1983. It’s printed for three levels of readership: kindergarten through second grade, third through fourth, and fifth through sixth. HSUS President Wayne Pacelle claims that the newsletter focuses on non-controversial subjects.
“We really believe in teaching kids about being good to animals and kindness as an important part of citizenship and adolescent growth,” Pacelle is quoted as saying. “This publication is used throughout America, and it never has political content….It certainly doesn’t take a stand against hunting or farming in any way.”
No quarrel with that. But is Mr. Pacelle being disingenuous?
According to the North Platte Telegraph (NE), the Lincoln Public Schools have pulled the April 2010 third/fourth grade edition because of its content. A picture on the front page showed a child wearing a gas mask and asked, “What if you had to wear a gas mask to play in your yard?”
The article went on to describe agricultural areas affected by swarms of flies, harmful gases, and rivers tainted by animal waste.
Children were urged to write to the USDA, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and to lawmakers expressing their concerns.
The newsletter was pulled by the Lincoln Public Schools because they have a policy requiring both sides of any controversial issue to be presented to students. They will no longer distribute the newsletter because they cannot effectively monitor its contents.
For more information, see Heather Johnson’s full article.
Posted March 20, 2011
