Humane Education Issues in the News...

Each week we post links to news about relevant humane issues, ways that people all over the world are manifesting humane education & humane living, and items that provide excellent material for discussing humane issues, from human rights to environmental preservation, to animal protection, to media and culture.


Group works to reduce bullying, teach tolerance to students – Charlotte Observer (11/4/08)
”The coalition is already seeing an uptick in interest. Last year, 1,000 local high school students participated in coalition programs, a 60 percent increase over the previous year. This included 400 students who took part in pilot anti-bullying initiatives at five CMS high schools.”

Study reveals connection between sex on TV and teen pregnancy - CNN.com (11/3/08)
"’You cannot expect to have a sexually saturated society with all of your media outlets, but then, at the same time, be surprised when this influences people and their behaviors,’ [Dr. Yolanda Wimberly] said. ‘If you're going to do it, then you need to make sure you follow it up with education that people need to make responsible decisions.’"

EU beekeepers demand government action to help bees – Treehugger.com (11/3/08)
”The issue of honeybee loss isn't specific to Britain, as beekeepers around the world are noticing that something is not right with their bees and scientists estimate that global bee populations could be gone by 2035. Colony collapse disorder is one reason, but there are other man-made reasons at fault. Just this year, over 7,000 beekeepers in Germany reported losses of almost half a billion bees this year due to pesticides sprayed by Bayer in Rhine, Germany.”

World water crisis increases - Guardian (UK) (11/2/08)
”The water crisis is an expression of the environmental catastrophe of human over-exploitation. This is the age the Nobel prize-winning chemist Paul Crutzen has called 'the Anthropocene', because the natural system has been so fundamentally altered by human activity. And it all began when people settled down and began to chop wood and farm.”
Thanks, Common Dreams, for the heads up.

School sees success with year-long character education program - SignOn San Diego (11/1/08)
”More kids greet each other with a friendly high five at Vista's two comprehensive high schools these days. More kids see community service as an opportunity instead of a punishment. More kids know about the meaning of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship as the six pillars of character.”

Exotic “pets” issue controversial - ABCNews (10/31/08)
”Born Free USA isn't just concerned about human safety. Improper ownership has led to animals being killed or injured or dumped in places they don't belong like lakes or the woods or, in many cases, the Florida Everglades.The group's list of reported incidents includes an emu being Tasered, wolf-dog hybrids and tigers being shot and numerous cases of reptiles being run over by cars or found dead from exposure to the unnatural environmental elements.”

Reports assert that “green” jobs could help solve multiple challenges - Common Dreams (10/31/08)
"’Unlike other energy scenarios that promote energy futures at the cost of the climate, our energy revolution scenario shows how to save money and maintain global economic development without fuelling catastrophic climate change,’ said Sven Teske, co-author of the report. ‘All we need to kick start this plan is bold energy policy from world leaders.’"

Research study explores link between childhood abuse and animal cruelty - Community Care (UK) (10/30/08)
”The literature review looked at several studies that examined the motivations of the young people when mistreating animals and it was clear that, although for some the behaviour was related to curiosity or was the result of peer pressure, for others the cruelty was an expression of past trauma. The authors argue that, for those who went on to develop more serious violent behaviour towards other people, cruelty to animals was a significant stage and represented a desensitisation of the perpetrators.”

Integration of social justice into curriculum increases, as does opposition – Education Week (10/29/08)
”The diffuse movement to address social issues, historical conflicts, and multicultural viewpoints that have not been part of the traditional curriculum has often attracted controversy and derision, however. And proponents of what is often called critical pedagogy are finding themselves on the defensive once again, amid a new round of attacks related to the presidential campaign.”

Study reveals “culling” deer may hurt, rather than help, biodiversity - Science Daily (10/28/08)
”The study, which comes at a time when many states have begun to selectively control deer populations, challenges previous research that has suggested deer populations can negatively impact forest ecosystems through eating plants that many smaller animals may depend on. Instead, researchers found that high numbers of deer may in fact be attracting a greater number of species.”
Thanks, Planetsave, for the heads up.

Van Jones calls for greening blue collars - SF Gate (10/27/08)
A profile and brief interview with Van Jones about his new book and green collar jobs for blue collar workers.

You have read this article animal protection / Cultural Issues / economy / education / environmental preservation / human rights / humane education issues / media literacy / news media / Social Justice with the title Humane Education Issues in the News.... You can bookmark this page URL https://actuosa-participatio.blogspot.com/2008/11/humane-education-issues-in-news_4.html. Thanks!