Teacher killed and skinned rabbit in class to 'show children how meat is processed'

Tokyo

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/teacher-killed-and-skinned-rabbit-in-class-to-show-children-how-meat-is-processed-9862636.html

An Idaho biology teacher is facing possible disciplinary action after killing and skinning a rabbit in class to show students where their food comes from.

Nampa School District spokeswoman Allison Westfall says the teacher killed the rabbit in front of 16 students by snapping its neck on Nov. 6 at Columbia High School.

The rabbit was then skinned and cut up in front of the 10th graders.

Westfall says the demonstration isn't part of the biology curriculum.

I'm not sure I see the problem with what he did to be honest. I know of a teacher friend of mine who takes her class on a school trip to a farm every year, many of who are learning for the first time that meat, milk and eggs don't actually begin life at the supermarket, and I've long held the belief that anyone who eats meat should have a far better awareness of where it comes from, in order to give them a healthier respect for hunting and killing something for food. This teacher deserves a pat on the back, not disciplinary action IMO.

What say you AH? Too much for the kids? or is this something that's sorely lacking in the modern world?

They specifically requested he do it, anyone who didn't want to see it had a chance to leave the room, so I think it's fine.They dissect stuff all the time over there and it's important enough to see where your meat is coming from

Mr_Red

You answer is perfect if you posted in the forum you mod

Tell your teacher friend she should bring the class to the slaughter house, not the farm

In your eyes the kids would love it

Connemara Farmer

1st world problems.

Guy:Incognito

Seems people don't like when you kill cute animals. Double standards, they should be told to get to ****.

They had the option to not see so cant have complaints after.

wexie

meh....i think he was doing nothing wrong, having said that, it would have been smarter to do this after school, off school property.
and he should / could have known this.

overall not an overly bright move

(be interesting to see what would have happened if this was in LA or NYC for example )

Riddle101

Despite what some people might think is a good lesson for the kids. The teacher should have known better. The parent's reaction is typical of any school who does something deemed controversial. Killing the rabbit in a class, full of kids is just asking for trouble, and the teacher risks losing his job at the same time. Not worth it in my opinion.

Tokyo

Mr_Red wrote: »

You answer is perfect if you posted in the forum you mod

Tell your teacher friend she should bring the class to the slaughter house, not the farm

In your eyes the kids would love it

I take it then you neither read the linked article, or what I posted, but just jumped on the 'forum you mod' angle, yeah? :rolleyes:

Guy:Incognito

Riddle101 wrote: »

Despite what some people might think is a good lesson for the kids. The teacher should have known better. The parent's reaction is typical of any school who does something deemed controversial. Killing the rabbit in a class full of 10 year olds is just asking for trouble, and the teacher risks losing his job at the same time. Not worth it in my opinion.

10th grade is equivalent to our 4th year, no? So 15 year old or so?

Awkward Badger

Riddle101 wrote: »

Despite what some people might think is a good lesson for the kids. The teacher should have known better. The parent's reaction is typical of any school who does something deemed controversial. Killing the rabbit in a class full of 10 year olds is just asking for trouble, and the teacher risks losing his job at the same time. Not worth it in my opinion.

10 year olds don't study biology. I agree though the teacher should have known better. Doing something like that outside the curriculum is gonna end is trouble. The fact the students themselves asked for it is irrelevant.

P. Breathnach

Riddle101 wrote: »

... a class full of 10 year olds ...

10th graders, not 10 year olds: more like 14-15 year olds.

UCDVet

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

10th grade is equivalent to our 4th year, no? So 15 year old or so?

Yeah 15 or 16 generally

Riddle101

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

10th grade is equivalent to our 4th year, no? So 15 year old or so?

Awkward Badger wrote: »

10 year olds don't study biology. I agree though the teacher should have known better. Doing something like that outside the curriculum is gonna end is trouble. The fact the students themselves asked for it is irrelevant.

Ok my bad, I made a mistake. When I saw "children" I assumed they were something like 10 or 11.

wexie

Riddle101 wrote: »

Ok my bad, I made a mistake.

just don't let it happen again :mad:

vicwatson

Merica

Donkey Oaty

So sad. RIP.

Gatling

Rabbit stew anyone

Turtwig

bluewolf wrote: »

They specifically requested he do it, anyone who didn't want to see it had a chance to leave the room, so I think it's fine.They dissect stuff all the time over there and it's important enough to see where your meat is coming from

This.

Fair enough if the teacher did it out the blue and all students had no choice but to watch. Dissection is arguably very important. So too is understanding where the food you eat comes from. Not just from an ethical standpoint but also a personal hygiene one.

csallmighty

Kills rabbit "to show students where their food comes from"

Who eats rabbit on a regular basis. Should have brought a chicken or cow into the class.

Awkward Badger

Turtwig wrote: »

This.

Fair enough if the teacher did it out the blue and all students had no choice but to watch. Dissection is arguably very important. So too is understanding where the food you eat comes from. Not just from an ethical standpoint but also a personal hygiene one.

Yeah but if the teacher feels its important and students want to see it you get approval from parents or the school board if its a contentious issue and outside the curriculum. Given he'd declined to do it before he obviously knew it may result in some problems.

P. Breathnach

mike_ie wrote: »

I take it then you neither read the linked article, or what I posted, but just jumped on the 'forum you mod' angle, yeah? :rolleyes:

And which of your forums?

Tokyo

P. Breathnach wrote: »

And which of your forums?

Well I'm imagining it wouldn't go down to well in PI.....

lazybones32

10th grade is the same as third year, so the students are old enough so as not to be traumatised by the killing of a rabbit in a controlled situation. It depends on why the Teacher did it: if he/she did it to upset the students, then simple discipline isn't enough but it if was done in the name and spirit of education, then I think it is parents molly-coddling their precious little babies or peta having a fart attack.

At 11, I sneaked into an abbatoir...big mistake. It's was the sounds that fvcked me up and put me off meat for about 2 years.

Turtwig

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Yeah but if the teacher feels its important and students want to see it you get approval from parents or the school board if its a contentious issue and outside the curriculum. Given he'd declined to do it before he obviously knew it may result in some problems.

Knowing something is contentious with others is a different thing to whether it is right or wrong. Unless, the suggestion is the teacher did it deliberately to be controversial. Which is of course a possibility. But assuming the intentions were good I don't have a problem with it. If the teacher was just doing it to piss people off then I strongly disagree with that.

bodice ripper

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

So sad. RIP.

-10 for posting the bull**** TV series version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwWp6vnAF50

Awkward Badger

Turtwig wrote: »

Knowing something is contentious with others is a different thing to whether it is right or wrong. Unless, the suggestion is the teacher did it deliberately to be controversial. Which is of course a possibility. But assuming the intentions were good I don't have a problem with it. If the teacher was just doing it to piss people off then I strongly disagree with that.

Doesn't matter whether he did it to be controversial or his intentions were good though. Knowing its contentions is knowing some of the students, parents or the school board may disagree with him doing it. To know that and do it anyway is wrong. Its not his place to ignore the curriculum and the opinions of the parents of the kids he's teaching and break rabbits necks and skin them in class. If he wants to hold a class at his farm on how to kill and prepare animals then that's his business. But he has no place doing it in class without the approval of the parents and school board as far as I can see.

humbert

This raises an intersting question. Does reading reddit mean reading After Hours is unnecessary or does reading After Hours mean reading reddit is unnecessary.

AH is usually a day behind.

Awkward Badger

humbert wrote: »

This raises an intersting question. Does reading reddit mean reading After Hours is unnecessary or does reading After Hours mean reading reddit is unnecessary.

AH is usually a day behind.

You can avoid it all by reading the papers.

As far as discussion forums go its too hard to discuss anything on Reddit. Particularly international/US stories. If you're not in agreement with the american mob you'll be down voted into oblivion. Its mostly just circle jerking and the more circle jerking the nastier the response to contradictory opinions.

humbert

Awkward Badger wrote: »

You can avoid it all by reading the papers.

As far as discussion forums go its too hard to discuss anything on Reddit. Particularly international/US stories. If you're not in agreement with the american mob you'll be down voted into oblivion. Its mostly just circle jerking and the more circle jerking the nastier the response to contradictory opinions.

Yes, but reading even all the first world English speaking papers by the time I've my Frosties finished is hard work.

I hadn't considered that the subsequent posts after the linked to story here on After Hours could be of value. This changes everything.

Awkward Badger

humbert wrote: »

Yes, but reading even all the first world English speaking papers by the time I've my Frosties finished is hard work.

I hadn't considered that the subsequent posts after the linked to story here on After Hours could be of value. This changes everything.

You don't have to read them all. I doubt your life would be too affected for not having read such stories as "Teacher skins rabbit in classroom".

Sam Kade

csallmighty wrote: »

Kills rabbit "to show students where their food comes from"

Who eats rabbit on a regular basis. Should have brought a chicken or cow into the class.

You should try some road kill rabbit some time makes delicious stew

humbert

Awkward Badger wrote: »

You don't have to read them all. I doubt your life would be too affected for not having read such stories as "Teacher skins rabbit in classroom".

Newspapers would be a woeful place to find information about what affects my life.

Paramite Pie

While it probably wasn't a great idea to do it in the class room, I do think that schools should visit slaughter-houses and food processing plants to know more about where our food comes from.


I'd still eat meat but I wonder if slaugher houses are always ethical when the inspector isn't there.

Hooked

Paramite Pie wrote: »

While it probably wasn't a great idea to do it in the class room, I do think that schools should visit slaughter-houses and food processing plants to know more about where our food comes from.

When I grow up... I want to go to Bovine University!!!

humbert

humbert wrote: »

This raises an intersting question. Does reading reddit mean reading After Hours is unnecessary or does reading After Hours mean reading reddit is unnecessary.

AH is usually a day behind.

Huge oveoverreaction.. Snapping its neck and then doing a literal butcher's job on it is educational.

Have we gotten to a point where showing how human's survived for millions of years can get you fired.?
While Bear Grylls climbing into a sheep is fine because it's entertainment, not education.

Call Me Jimmy

Deleted User wrote: »

Huge oveoverreaction.. Snapping its neck and then doing a literal butcher's job on it is educational.

Have we gotten to a point where showing how human's survived for millions of years can get you fired.?

While Bear Grylls climbing into a sheep is fine because it's entertainment, not education.

ehehheheh

Corholio

Why would the kids need to see him snapping his neck? How is that educational?

I agree that the dissection and knowing where meat comes from can be educational. But it seems the teacher was just trying to be edgy to do it in front of the kids. It has zero educational quality to do that. Everything that came after the killing of the rabbit is what the students were learning, not the killing.

colossus-x

Corholio wrote: »

Why would the kids need to see him snapping his neck? How is that educational?

I agree that the dissection and knowing where meat comes from can be educational. But it seems the teacher was just trying to be edgy to do it in front of the kids. It has zero educational quality to do that. Everything that came after the killing of the rabbit is what the students were learning, not the killing.

Can'r really see why you think the killing part was not part of the educational part as well ?

minidazzler

It's Idaho, hunting is pretty huge there, it's not that out of the ordinary.

Corholio

colossus-x wrote: »

Can'r really see why you think the killing part was not part of the educational part as well ?

Why not? Do we think that kids think animals are alive when we eat them?

They see the rabbit is killed by breaking his neck and........that's it. There's no bridge learning from that, therefore it was unnecessary. Why not just tell the student the rabbit was killed by breaking it's neck? Showing them has no retention of knowledge.

One eyed Jack

minidazzler wrote: »

It's Idaho, hunting is pretty huge there, it's not that out of the ordinary.

It was done on Duck Dynasty a few weeks back and all -

Phil and Si fill in for Willie at his kids' career day in school and give the children some lessons they'll never forget by telling gory Vietnam stories and dismembering a duck right in front of them. Meanwhile, Jase and the guys have fun with some late-night frog hunting at Willie's country club--until club security shows up.

http://www.aetv.com/duck-dynasty/season-1/episode-4

Hold the Cheez Whiz

Awkward Badger wrote: »

Yeah but if the teacher feels its important and students want to see it you get approval from parents or the school board if its a contentious issue and outside the curriculum. Given he'd declined to do it before he obviously knew it may result in some problems.

Corholio wrote: »

Why would the kids need to see him snapping his neck? How is that educational?

I agree that the dissection and knowing where meat comes from can be educational. But it seems the teacher was just trying to be edgy to do it in front of the kids. It has zero educational quality to do that. Everything that came after the killing of the rabbit is what the students were learning, not the killing.

It sounds like this school was in a traditionally rural area that has recently become more urbanized so perhaps the teacher didn't think that the parents would make a fuss?

Bigdavyj

colossus-x wrote: »

Can'r really see why you think the killing part was not part of the educational part as well ?

The killing is the most dramatic dramatic part of the whole event. I visited a slaughter house at about age 14 and i can still remember clearly the sights i seen that day- Pretty horiffic.

I know it might seem tame enfough to alot of people the killing of a rabbit infront of your eyes, but these kids were probably not aware how they would feel after the event....

Awkward Badger

Hold the Cheez Whiz wrote: »

It sounds like this school was in a traditionally rural area that has recently become more urbanized so perhaps the teacher didn't think that the parents would make a fuss?

No idea what the teacher thought. He had no business doing it though given its not what he was supposed to be teaching and the school, some of the parents had an issue with it and some of the students were left upset over it.

Macavity.

I hope they ate it after.

colossus-x

Corholio wrote: »

Why not? Do we think that kids think animals are alive when we eat them?

They see the rabbit is killed by breaking his neck and........that's it. There's no bridge learning from that, therefore it was unnecessary. Why not just tell the student the rabbit was killed by breaking it's neck? Showing them has no retention of knowledge.

Why not you say? Because the kid would learn how the killing was done. Sorry is that just obvious or is it just me lol

Dude111

bluewolf wrote:

They specifically requested he do it, anyone who didn't want to see it had a chance to leave the room, so I think it's fine.

Yes but its still cruel. He commited murder....... Cold blooded murder and thats wrong!!

looksee

Dude111 wrote: »

Yes but its still cruel. He commited murder....... Cold blooded murder and thats wrong!!

No, you cannot murder a rabbit. And both the teacher and the rabbit are warm blooded creatures, so where does cold blooded come into it?

Buona Fortuna

mike_ie wrote: »

I take it then you neither read the linked article, or what I posted, but just jumped on the 'forum you mod' angle, yeah? :rolleyes:

Maybe he's a quick reader