Kids send Marcus the Lamb to slaughter

[Caliga]

Heh, that would be cool if PETA and radical Islam allied on this issue.

[Agelastus]

Heh, that would be cool if PETA and radical Islam allied on this issue.

Actually, while funny, it would also be quite frightening. Both are fanatical enough without being egged on by another party...

[Jaron]

That teacher should be fired. He had a golden opportunity to teach children about the glory of Islam and failed to do so by not killing the lamb in an approved Halal manner.

It's reasons like this that the Muslims hate us.

[Josquius]

I find it fascinating that people can say stuff like this as "fact" and not even (apparently) realize that it is just something that they made up.  "Iffy" is the word for it.

There is no evidence that these kids considered this goat as anything but a future source of revenue.  They are, after all, running a "farm" and sending animals off to slaughter is what farms do.

There is also no evidence for them not being fond of it either
Though its never directly said 'it was a pet' things point far more that way than it just being a typical farmed animal.

Precisely.

I would love to see PETA membership stats in terms of urban dwellers vs. rural folks.

Very low. Especially if you're only counting real country folk as opposed to rich city people who moved there.
But then Peta != animal rights.
They're just the visible, popular, hollywood side of it. They could be seen to be a liability to the cause.

[DGuller]

That teacher should be fired. He had a golden opportunity to teach children about the glory of Islam and failed to do so by not killing the lamb in an approved Halal manner.

It's reasons like this that the Muslims hate us.

Exactly.  They hate us for our freedom, like the ability to vote.

[merithyn]

But 50 years previously most kids would have been involved in or at least seen the slaughter of farm animals.

I don't know about that.  You'd have to go in to the 19th century before someone in my family was involved in that.

But 50 years ago they would have seen animals hanging in the butcher shop, not large squares of reddish protein. It's that disconnect that I think B is talking about.

[swallow]

That classroom democracy was for something that should have been nice - naming a Teddy Bear after one of the kids.  The problem with this is that it's putting children in the position of having to make decisions about killing something they've grown fond of.

To be blunt, you are extrapolating something we have not been told. The emotional response to something described as a "farm animal" is probably quite different to that of something described as a "class pet".

I admire the school for the rationality of setting up a program like this, and I applaud the decision to have the kids in control. The number of important lessons regarding economics and the hard nature of personal choices this scheme will create will be of enormous value to the pupils in their adult working lives.

Some reports say that the children bottle fed it and many regarded it as a pet.  Economics can be learned in other ways.  Hard decisions too.  I don't think it a good lesson for a child to learn that it's OK to kill something you are fond of. 

[The Brain]

Teachers and kids = right, Commie-faggists = wrong.

[merithyn]

There is also no evidence for them not being fond of it either
Though its never directly said 'it was a pet' things point far more that way than it just being a typical farmed animal.

That's called journalistic bent and has very little to do with the actual facts of the case.

[Josquius]

That's called journalistic bent and has very little to do with the actual facts of the case.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/8255125.stm
With video.
You can see them stroking the sheep.
And you know the way kids are. They want any distraction from school and would get very excited about this sort of thing.

The way they voted to get rid of the sheep also sounds very in keeping with childishly simple thinking- 'We get rid of one sheep then we can have some pigs! How cool would that be? Pigs in school!'

[merithyn]

I think you're ignoring this part:

"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."

The children went into this knowing full well what that lamb was meant for. They were not ignorant of what they were doing. And I've seen plenty of farmers pet animals that later would be given over for Sunday dinner. In addition, I met plenty of 4-H kids at the Iowa State Fair over the years that coddled and loved their animals to bits, and when it was time, turned them over to the butcher. That's what they were intended for, so that's what they did. No trauma, just the fact of that animal's life.

These children quite obviously are not in the least bit squeamish about the job. They're educated, tolerant, and capable little people, these kids, and I think it's a bit unfair to say that they don't know what they're doing or will be traumatized by the events. They seem fine, even if some of you aren't.

[HVC]

Well my view is that you build a strong adult by giving them security and supporting them as they try new experiences.  This strikes me as half baked, non-individual and quite bureaucratic.  Good for developing the strength of the one kid who voted against the herd though

Yeah, the same classroom democracy that ends up with teddy bears called Mohammed and teachers in jail.

That classroom democracy was for something that should have been nice - naming a Teddy Bear after one of the kids.  The problem with this is that it's putting children in the position of having to make decisions about killing something they've grown fond of.

they couldn't have been to fond of it if they voted to kill it

[Caliga]

they couldn't have been to fond of it if they voted to kill it

Sure they cold have.  They just happen to be even more fond of doner kebabs.

[The Brain]

Adults are infinitely more fragile than kids.

[swallow]

Well my view is that you build a strong adult by giving them security and supporting them as they try new experiences.  This strikes me as half baked, non-individual and quite bureaucratic.  Good for developing the strength of the one kid who voted against the herd though

Yeah, the same classroom democracy that ends up with teddy bears called Mohammed and teachers in jail.

That classroom democracy was for something that should have been nice - naming a Teddy Bear after one of the kids.  The problem with this is that it's putting children in the position of having to make decisions about killing something they've grown fond of.

they couldn't have been to fond of it if they voted to kill it

That's the problem HVC