MONSANTO ENTERING BRAZIL'S SCHOOLS - PROTEST!

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GMW: MONSANTO ENTERING BRAZIL'S SCHOOLS - PROTEST!

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Wed, 20 Apr 2005 22:52:26 +0100

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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NB how to protest at end of the GM-Free Brazil bulletin below

 

for more on the pro-GM lobby's assault on schools:

Fury at pro-GM school magazines

http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/news/progematerial.cfm

Letter to the Scottish Minister of Education

http://www.members.tripod.com/~ngin/11101b.htm

John Innes Centre in our schools

http://www.members.tripod.com/~ngin/biospin.htm

The pro-GM play for performance in schools

http://www.members.tripod.com/~ngin/articlebartlett.htm

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GM-FREE BRAZIL

Periodical news & analysis of the Campaign For a GM-Free Brazil

Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, April 20, 2005

Bulletin #15

 

Monsanto and public schools

 

The company is now engaged on children education and, supported by the

Ministry of Culture, developed a " social " project to take its doctrine

into public schools

 

After its successful lobbying campaign to liberate the transgenics in

Brazil, that ended up with the approval of the Biosafety Bill at the

Deputies Chamber, followed by the president's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

signature of the law, now the giant company Monsanto is engaged on an

attempt to rule the subjects of agriculture and environment at public

schools in Brazil.

 

Two weeks ago, the company proudly announced its new partnership with a

publishing house that foresees the distribution of didactic material

concerning these two disciplines to a number of public schools in the

country. The project was presented as a programme of " social

responsibility " , but obviously, it means much beyond that, and it

surely aims to

gain future consumers of GMOs (genetic modified organisms).

 

The aggravating circumstance is that the project has the support of the

Ministry of Culture through the federal law of culture incentive.

 

According to Monsanto, high school students from 5.049 public schools

from the states of Mato Grosso, Bahia, Goias, Rio Grande do Sul and

Distrito Federal will be enrolled on the project. Moreover, 560 junior

and

high school teachers, educators and instructors are receiving

" information, support textbooks and additional training courses

regarding two of

the most important matters of our present reality: agriculture and

environment " .

 

At some point the leaflet " Horizonte Geografico " , Monsanto's partner on

the project, instructs the teachers to promote a debate among the

students around the subject " O grao que conquistou o Brasil " ( " The grain

that captivated Brazil " , in English), a reference to the Soya seed. Is

that what it is important on children's education?

 

Monsanto was not satisfied in sponsoring the smuggling of its

transgenic seeds from Argentina to Brazil, neither with its lobbying

campaign to

vote the Biosafety Bill on its terms, not even with its campaign of

deceiving advertising, and now will use public schools to reach thousands

of kids and promote its doctrine.

 

We hereby denounce this absurd and request you all to write a letter to

the Ministry of Culture, asking for this project to be reviewed. The

letters should be sent to the following electronic addresses:

 

Gilberto Gil Minister of Culture

cgm

 

Adolpho Netto Cabinet Executive

anetto

 

Luiz Artur Toríbio Communications Assessor

turiba

 

 

 

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