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

Tokyo · 15-11-2014 09:59PM #1

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?

15-11-2014 10:04PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:06PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:10PM

1st world problems.

Guy:Incognito · 15-11-2014 10:11PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:15PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:18PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:20PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:34PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:39PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:40PM

Riddle101 wrote: »

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

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

UCDVet · 15-11-2014 10:41PM

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

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

Yeah 15 or 16 generally

Riddle101 · 15-11-2014 10:42PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:43PM

Riddle101 wrote: »

Ok my bad, I made a mistake.

just don't let it happen again :mad:

vicwatson · 15-11-2014 10:47PM

Merica

Donkey Oaty · 15-11-2014 10:47PM

So sad. RIP.

Gatling · 15-11-2014 10:48PM

Rabbit stew anyone

Turtwig · 15-11-2014 10:50PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:51PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:55PM

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 · 15-11-2014 10:59PM

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 · 15-11-2014 11:00PM

P. Breathnach wrote: »

And which of your forums?

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

lazybones32 · 15-11-2014 11:02PM

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 · 15-11-2014 11:02PM

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 · 15-11-2014 11:08PM

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

So sad. RIP.

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

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

Awkward Badger · 15-11-2014 11:15PM

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 · 15-11-2014 11:34PM

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 · 15-11-2014 11:43PM

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 · 16-11-2014 12:09AM

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 · 16-11-2014 12:15AM

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 · 16-11-2014 12:15AM

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

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

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