Aquarium Pres/CEO Schubel Announces Plan w/ LBUSD Following Aquarium Break-In, Animal Deaths/Injuries In Which Juveniles Were Arrested

Dr. Schubel: I know that most people here have heard about the terrible thing that happened to the Aquarium with the killing of two sharks and one ray. Sunday night, late, three kids broke in and killed these animals. They came back last night and they were apprehended by our security people and arrested by Long Beach city police. [applause]

Three 13 year-olds, and one 14 year old, and we've decided that we're going to turn this into something that will be good for the city.

And we've talked to [LBUSD Superintendent] Chris Steinhauser and next week we will be going into the middle schools in this city, having dialogues among these same 13 and 14 year olds asking them what they think and what could possibly make someone do these acts of cruelty.

And the end of the series will be a public meeting at the Aquarium where the 13 and 14 year olds in our school[s] will select the brightest and most thoughtful among them to be their spokespersons to speak to all of us as a community, and what we learn from this and whether there are more serious, deeply rooted problems that we need to be conscious of and thinking about.

So I hope that you will all come. I think it's a great example of how your Aquarium -- our staff, very quickly, remember this all just happened since the first ones, yesterday morning, were discovered and it's already in place with the Superintendent.

So it's a great pleasure and honor to be associated with your Aquarium. Thank you.

LBUSD Board VP Lowenthal:...I just wanted to thank Jerry for being so open to making this a very teachable moment. I think it was very devastating for the city, but also for the school family and wanted to let each of you know that we are working with the Aquarium...

[W]e hope to very understanding and look at this as something that's not [the] end of the story. I think there'll be some intervention opportunities not just with these particular kids and families but with other children as well, so I want to thank Jerry for that.