TeachKind Offers Humane Education After Teen Allegedly Kills Turtle With Fireworks

Curriculum Teaches Anti-Bullying and Compassion in the Classroom—for Whole Community’s Sake

For Immediate Release:
August 31, 2016

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

The Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department recently announced that a 17-year-old Manheim teen faces charges stemming from an August 3 incident in which he and two adults allegedly duct-taped two fireworks to a turtle’s shell and lit the fuses, exploding and killing the animal. In response, TeachKind—PETA’s humane-education division—sent letters this morning to Manheim schools urging them to implement humane education.

TeachKind and PETA—whose shared motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—have asked that the schools make sure students know that violence toward any living being is wrong and are also offering free copies of their “Report Abuse When You See It!” poster.

“We’re facing a bullying epidemic, and if true, this teenager and the two other young men displayed a dangerous lack of empathy for others when they cruelly and horrifically blew up this turtle with fireworks,” says PETA Senior Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns Marta Holmberg. “TeachKind is calling on schools to implement humane education and urge students to speak up when they see cruelty to any living being.”

Leading mental-health professionals and law-enforcement agencies advise that perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat to the community at large. TeachKind believes that intervention should start early and is available to send materials to schools, suggest lesson plans, and even host classroom presentations for students of all ages via Skype—all for free. TeachKind’s newest program, Share the World, is appropriate for even the youngest learners.

TeachKind’s letters are available upon request. For more information, please visit TeachKind.org.