In a letter to Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, the Federation of Hunters and Trappers said that schoolchildren are being brainwashed against hunting.

This is the letter, signed by president Joe Perici Calascione, in full:

“We write regarding a question on a test paper which was put to Form III female students of Immaculate Conception School, Hamrun (attached).

“In this regard we have received numerous complaints from parents who are hunters and trappers (a glance at our FACEBOOK will reveal what we mean).  In view of these complaints, we must voice our Federation’s concern regarding such incessant, uninterrupted and unchecked social-hatred campaign of “brainwashing” school children and students who are being “taught” to disrespect and disapprove of their parents simply because they are hunters and/or trappers.

“Telephonically, the headmistress of the relative school defended the question by stating that we should have read the question properly, in that it refers to unsustainable hunting and trapping practices and ended her conversation by saying that after all the test papers are prepared by the University and that she just follows orders.

“We would like to assure the learned headmistress that we can read and interpret properly.  We would have hoped that the question would have carried a positive element of hunting, trapping and conservation and that today the public in general benefits from centuries of hunters’ and trappers’ efforts in this regard.  Efforts that we can safely say, have not only contributed, but added to Malta’s biodiversity, including but not limited to plant life.  We have to add that these contributions are carried out at the hunters and trappers own personal expense and have never been the source of destruction.  Furthermore, Maltese hunters and trappers practice sustainable and legal hunting and trapping.  Unsustainable and illegal practices are NOT and can never be contributed to acts of hunters or trappers, but acts that are performed by criminals or law-breakers.  Finally, we have to state that heads of schools should act responsibly in the best interests of our children and avoid, at all costs, any discriminatory teachings irrespective of any personal beliefs or prejudices.  They should personally take action to curtail any such occurrences because together with our teachers they are given one of the most important tasks in helping to raise our children into mature, responsible and open-minded men and women.

“The FKNK has made various attempts in the past years to try to integrate in the educational scenario, having many a competent lecturer on a vast range of social subjects connected to hunting and trapping, apart from the historic and socio-cultural elements of tradition.  We had also presented your predecessor with a “teachers' educational pack” with regards the traditional socio-cultural passions of hunting and trapping.  Unfortunately, to date, our requests have been shelved and the anti-hunting crusade continues in our educational institutions.

“We therefore appeal to you, Honourable Minister, to look into this serious issue and whilst kindly requesting you to investigate this specific incident, we appeal to your better judgement in starting a dialogue with the FKNK with the intention to evaluate our concerns, not only as hunters and trappers but also as parents.  Finally, we also ask you to consider our request to be integrated in the educational system in a manner that will enhance our children’s way of thinking and in a manner that will expose hunting and trapping as useful tools for conservation.