Kids send Marcus the Lamb to slaughter

[Martinus]

Kids send Marcus the lamb to slaughter

Mon Sep 14, 2:10 pm ET

LONDON (Reuters) – A group of schoolchildren who reared a lamb from birth and named it Marcus has overridden objections by parents and rights activists and voted to send the animal to slaughter.

Marcus the six-month-old lamb has now been culled, the head teacher of the primary school in Kent confirmed on Monday, after the school's council -- a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 -- voted 13-1 to have him killed.

The decision has provoked fury among animal-loving celebrities, animal and human rights campaigners and the parents of some of the children, and led to threats against Lydd primary school and its teachers, according to a member of staff.

Around 250 children at the school take part in a program designed to teach them about rearing and breeding animals.

The educational farm was started this year, with Marcus being hand-fed by the children. The children also look after ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.

The intention had been to buy pigs with the money raised from slaughtering Marcus, but those plans have been put on hold following the furor created by the lamb's culling. The school said the program may now have to be stopped.

"It's all up in the air," said a member of staff. "There's been so much pressure on us as a result of all this."

Despite that, the school said there had been overwhelming support among the children, the staff and most of the parents to have Marcus -- a castrated male who could not have been used for breeding -- sent to the slaughterhouse.

But opponents branded it heartless and cruel, with animal rights campaigners asking why Marcus could not have been used to teach the children about wool, and human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus's death on the children.

A popular talkshow host offered to buy the lamb and give it sanctuary and Facebook groups sprung up to rally support to keep Marcus alive. But the children had the final say. The school defended the children's decision, calling it educational.

"When we started the farm in spring 2009, the aim was to educate the children in all aspects of farming life and everything that implies," the school said in a statement.

"The children have had a range of opportunities to discuss this issue, both in terms of the food cycle and the ethical aspect... It is important for everyone to move on from this issue, so the children can focus on their education."
(Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Steve Addison)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090914/od_nm/us_sheep_odd/print

Kids are sometimes smarter than adults. 

[Viking]

What the Fuck?

Am I surprised? No, PETAtards seem to lack a mental switch in their heads.

[Caliga]

  It exists for no reason other than to be eaten...

[Grey Fox]

Those children are geniuses.

[merithyn]

I think the concern is that Marcus had been raised as a pet. Had there been a dozen goats, none with names, and one was sold to butcher to pay for other animals, I doubt people would be this upset. (Except the PETA nitwits, but they're.. bizarre.)

[merithyn]

It exists for no reason other than to be eaten...

Goats are often kept as pets, and as a source of wool. He was much more useful being slaughtered, as it meant they could get more animals, but there were other uses for him beyond just that.

[HisMajestyBOB]

    But opponents branded it heartless and cruel, with animal rights campaigners asking why Marcus could not have been used to teach the children about wool, and human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus's death on the children.

They're the one's who voted for death!

[Valmy]

I think the concern is that Marcus had been raised as a pet. Had there been a dozen goats, none with names, and one was sold to butcher to pay for other animals, I doubt people would be this upset. (Except the PETA nitwits, but they're.. bizarre.)

Except none of the people who knew Marcus are the ones making a stink.  It is a bunch of busybodies who love to tell other people what to do.

human rights campaigners worried about the emotional impact of Marcus's death on the children.

I think the kids are anxious to kill the damn thing just to say 'screw you' to moronic adults like these people.  I know I would have at age 6-11.

'Threaten our teachers eh?  We put this in your latte and drink  it human righttards.'

[PDH]

delicious, delicious lamb.

[Valmy]

They're the one's who voted for death!

Well yeah it is a farm animal, livestock, that is sorta what you do when the time comes.  They are learning about animal husbandry after all.

But it seems what is perfectly ok is making threats against the school and its teachers.

[Josquius]

This is kinda fucked up.
Animals are raised to be eaten sure, fine.
But...hand rearing just one, giving it a name, having it pretty much like a pet and then slaughtering it to be eaten.....iffy.

Oh.
And mutton>lamb anyway.

[Valmy]

This is kinda fucked up.
Animals are raised to be eaten sure, fine.
But...hand rearing just one, giving it a name, having it pretty much like a pet and then slaughtering it to be eaten.....iffy.

Yeah people have only been doing that for thousands of years.

And it was not like this goat was the class mascot, it is one of many animals the class has been raising.

[Malthus]

Heh, reminds me of a friend of mine who was actually reared on a working farm.

His dad gave him a baby chick as a pet when she was a wee kid. Big mistake! 

Suffice it to say that she did not vote as this class did, but her vote was overridden by her dad's. This story did not have a happy "Babe" style ending.

[Valmy]

His dad gave him a baby chick as a pet when she was a wee kid. Big mistake! 

Hehe my mother raised a pig and a cow as pets when she was a girl.

Strangely she had to no problem selling them off when the time came.  Of course that was because she wanted to buy clothes and my grandmother was the world's cheapest woman.  See it is different when the kid stands to benefit

[DisturbedPervert]

the school's council -- a 14-member group of children aged 6 to 11 -- voted 13-1 to have him killed.

That's very strange.  Hope they enjoy their kebabs.