ETA fired off a letter to Fox River Grove Middle School Principal

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Contact: Bruce Friedrich 757-622-7382

Chicago - This morning, PETA fired off a letter to Fox River Grove Middle School Principal Tim Mahaffy urging him to applaud art teacher Dave Warwak for teaching his students about factory farming and other forms of animal abuse that made him go vegan--instead of disciplining and possibly firing Warwak. PETA points out that in this age of school violence and childhood obesity, teaching kids about compassion and the numerous health benefits of a vegan diet should be encouraged at all levels of education.

According to news reports, Mahaffy ordered Warwak to leave the classroom after learning that Warwak had shown his students photos of animals in factory farms and given them the book The Food Revolution by Pulitzer Prize-nominated author John Robbins. Warwak explained that going vegan is the best way to help fight animal abuse and safeguard your own health at the same time. In fact, the American Dietetic Association has found that vegans have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

"Fox River Grove Middle School is standing education on its head when it cracks down on instructors who teach our kids about kindness and good health," says PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk. "Mr. Warwak is exposing the meat industry's dirty secrets, and his students have every right to know the truth behind their food choices."

If Mahaffy agrees to allow Warwak to continue to discuss veganism and other animal-related issues, PETA has offered to send each of Warwak's students a "Compassion Care Package," which would include a copy of The Food Revolution, PETA's DVD "Meet Your Meat," and a vegetarian starter kit.

For more information, please visit PETA's Web site GoVeg.com.

PETA's letter to Fox River Grove Middle School Principal Tim Mahaffy follows.

 

September 7, 2007

Tim Mahaffy, PrincipalFox River Grove Middle School

1 page via fax: 847-516-9169

Dear Mr. Mahaffy,

On behalf of PETA and our more than 1.6 million members and supporters, I'm writing to express concern over the recent disciplinary actions taken against Dave Warwak, an art teacher at your school. According to news reports, Mr. Warwak was disciplined for informing children about the cruelty of the meat industry and the enormous health benefits of going vegetarian.

It's a sad day when a teacher is punished for telling students the truth: that by going vegetarian, they will dramatically improve their health while saving animals from cruelty so extreme that it would warrant felony cruelty-to-animals charges in the state of Illinois if the victims were dogs and cats rather than chickens, pigs, and cows. In a time of growing violence in schools, a teacher who is bringing a message of compassion should be applauded, not punished. Students in every school should have teachers like Mr. Warwak to tell them that the "chicken nuggets" they consume in the cafeteria were once living, breathing animals who were crammed into filthy sheds and pumped full of drugs before having their throats slit while they're still conscious.

Mr. Warwak was also apparently distributing copies of John Robbins' book The Food Revolution, which documents not only the cruelty of the meat industry but also the environmental and health benefits of a vegetarian diet. In these days of skyrocketing childhood obesity, we hope that Mr. Warwak's students will take the book's message to heart: According to the American Dietetic Association, a vegan diet is appropriate for all ages and vegans have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters do.

If you agree to allow Mr. Warwak to continue to discuss these important issues, PETA would be happy to donate "Compassion Care Packages" to every one of his students. These packages include a copy of The Food Revolution, a "Meet Your Meat" DVD (a factory farm expose viewable at Meat.org), and our free "Vegetarian Starter Kit" (downloadable at GoVeg.com).

Please let me know of your decision. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Bruce FriedrichVice President

Peter H

 

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