A MEETING AT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, TOOK POINT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TOPIC OF RESPECT FOR ANIMALS AT SCHOOL. THE PROPOSAL: INCLUDING THE PROTECTION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND RESPECT FOR ANIMALS INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Study the protection of the environment and ecosystems, as well as respect for animals at school. The educational proposal comes fromInternational animal protection organization The bad ones. This was discussed during a conference held yesterday afternoon, 30 January 2024, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Merit.
During the meeting we reflected on the need to teach animal rights at schooltheir respect, their protection, including these themes in the educational programming.
To review the conference in its entirety, click on link al video.
Animals at school, Oipa’s proposal for teaching
In 2022 the proposal to integrate educational programs with environmental and animal themes a schoolwas filed at House of Representatives. With it we ask, in every order and degree, the inclusion of topics regarding respect for animals.
“We hope that education in a culture of respect towards other species can lead to greater sensitivity towards one’s own kind and thus contribute to reducing the phenomenon of bullying and cyberbullying”. To explain it, Arianna Fioravantiresponsible for Oipa’s institutional relations and moderator of the conference.
“Just in recent days we have witnessed many episodes of violence against a defenseless animal. Among these the one of which the cane Aron, tied to a chain and set on fire by its owner himself. A man who constitutes a danger to the whole of society.”.
The pitbull Aron died a few days ago following very serious injuries sustained from his owner’s mistreatment. The man was obviously reported. He had tied it to a pole and set it on fire.
The mayor of Palermo, the city where the brutal act occurred and where commemorations were held for the animal – which fought for four days between life and death before giving up – announced that a monument will be inaugurated to remember him.
Ovid, young people and respect for animals at school
He wrote Publius Ovidius Nasone in a text attributed to him, which “cruelty to brutes is the apprenticeship of cruelty to men.” Translated from Latin, “Cruelty towards animals is the training for cruelty against humans”.
This is quoted by Oipa as it explains the rationale for the proposed modification to enrich school programmes. “The more we respect the weakest and most defenseless individuals, the more this society will be able to achieve higher moral and civil goals. Young people are the cornerstones of change and teaching them respect for animals means taking preventive action to prevent innocent beings such as the dog Aron, the cat Leone and many others from still being victims of a cultural heritage where the brutality of strong over weak”.
The cat Leone, a foundling from Cava dei Tirreni, was found dying in the street by some volunteers about a month ago: he too died from injuries sustained following mistreatment. He had been skinned alive by a human hand. This was certified by the autopsy by the local health authority vet.
How Article 9 of the Constitution has changed
Last year Parliament changed thearticle 9 of the Constitutionthus introducing the protection of the environment, ecosystems and animals among the fundamental principles of the Republic.
The reform introduced the concept of the environment as a constitutionally protected value as well as a complex organic entity (Const. Court ruling no. 378 of 2007).
“From this perspective, landscape care concerns the entire territory, even when degraded or apparently devoid of value”. This is what we read in the Senate documentation to comment on the changes.
For the first time it is also introduced into the Constitution the reference to animals, providing for a specific law to define forms and methods of protection.
The proposed law: protection of animals at school
The congresswoman’s initiative bill Michela Vittoria Brambilla wants to apply some changes to the laws of 20 July 2004, n. 189, and 20 August 2019, n. 92. It proposes to include didactic topics, in schools of all levels, for education in the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity and respect for animals.
This proposal has its roots precisely in the constitutional amendment of Article 9.
In fact, the deputy explains that “the recognition in the Constitution of the protection of the environment, biodiversity, ecosystems and animals, to be understood in a systemic vision that goes beyond the strictly anthropocentric regulatory perspective, constitutes at the same time a point of arrival and a starting point. A point of arrival, since the intervention of the constitutional legislator crystallizes, with reference to the environment, a principle already recognized for over forty years and consolidated by the interpretation of constitutional jurisprudence. A starting point, since the formalization in the Constitution of these principles and, in particular, that of the protection of animals, is a significant hermeneutic and value indication in itself, with a strong programmatic connotation, which could produce new effects, new laws and new rules that will give it practical implementation. The action of the state legislator therefore finds a direct and expressed source in the constitutional provisions”.
The activities must be carried out in the form of multidisciplinary activities and workshops, to be carried out also in collaboration with the animal rights associations registered in the single register of the third sector. The integration of school teaching programs must take place without new or greater burdens on public finances.