Discourage Circus Promotions in Schools
When circuses come to town, they often offer discounted tickets and "educational" materials to schools as part of their marketing scheme. In turn, some schools organize student field trips to circuses, distribute free or discounted tickets, sponsor circuses as fundraisers, or permit circuses to set up tents on school property.
Parents, members of the community, and students should meet with school boards to discourage school promotions of circuses with animal acts. When such meetings occur, school boards listen! Following her presentation, one high school student wrote, "[The school board] thought that the presentation was very good, and they enjoyed the packets that you sent. And the superintendent agreed NOT to approve any field trip that is related to any non-animal-friendly facility, including circuses."
Animals in circuses lead miserable lives. They spend the majority of their lives alone, caged, or shackled in the backs of trailers, traveling from city to city. The training that these animals are forced to endure is abusive, painful, and hidden from the circus-going public. PETA has obtained video footage that shows an elephant trainer viciously attacking elephants, embedding sharp metal bullhooks deep into their flesh, shocking them with electrical currents, and instructing other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream.
Children who attend circuses are also subjected to potential dangers, both psychological and physical. Children witness the unnatural and humiliating acts that animals are forced to perform, thus learning a lack of respect for the natural dignity of every being.
Circuses with animal acts also pose a serious threat to public safety: Elephants, tigers, bears, primates, and other animals have escaped and caused countless deaths and injuries to members of the public as well as destruction of public property. Another important consideration is that circuses have a long history of picking up transient workers who often turn out to be derelicts or even violent criminals. PETA has documented numerous instances in which circuses, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, have hired murderers, rapists, kidnappers, child molesters, and animal abusers. Read PETA's circus criminals factsheet for more information.
At least 12 states (California, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) have humane education laws that you can cite to bolster the point that circuses should not be a part of any school activity and that schools should not endorse them. These laws mandate that children should be taught to adopt principles of kindness and to avoid being cruel to animals.
Here is a step-by-step guide to assist you in approaching your school board. We have also included several links to resources that you may find useful.
Good luck in your efforts, and please contact us if you need assistance.
You can help stop the suffering of elephants, tigers, and other animals
abused in the name of "entertainment." Click
here to support PETA's vital work.
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'Make 'Em Scream': Watch Standard Elephant-Training Practices
Ringling Bros. Exposed
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