Teenager refuses to kill her chicken for a class project

[debilorrah]

Quote:
You know something, I really like you, and your forwardness, and your humorous posts. In this instance, I wish you would remember you are talking to and about a 16 year old child. I am sure she is not nearly as educated about chickens as some people on this forum are. Hence, I am asking you to give her a break and try to be kind with your words. Please.

I dont think I was being rude. But I am not going to treat a 16 year old as a child. Especially one that is grown up enough to get on the news an tell how she concocted a plan to bring a large bag to school so she can steal government property. I think she should have been charged, not given the option to pay for the bird. Theft is never the right thing. Telling her she did the right thing is just going to encourage her to go out an do something worse an more drastic next time she sees something she doesn't like.

I never said you were rude. Please read my words again. All I did was encourage you to be kinder to a youthful person. Whether you like it or not, 16 is not experienced in life. And I can tell you of some REALLY elaborate plans I had as a 14 year old to get what I wanted..... Right? No. Did I do it? Yes. Would I now, 50/50 there.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

If the girl were a vegetarian, I could imagine her squeamishness. But perhaps she just thinks the other animals that get on her plates just "appear" there. There is nothing wrong with learning where your food comes from. If you want to eat meat, you can't say that it's wrong to kill it.
But a better way would be to just bring some unraised-by-students chickens to butcher instead of butchering ones that were hand-raised.

And I mean, come on, if that school can take students to R-rated movies, why can't it enlist them in butchering??

 

[debilorrah]

chocolate m'scovy :

If the girl was a vegetarian, I could imagine her squeamishness. But perhaps she just thinks the other animals that get on her plates just "appear" there. There is nothing wrong with learning where your food comes from. If you want to eat meat, you can't say that it's wrong to kill it.
But a better way would be to just bring some unraised-by-students chickens to butcher instead of butchering ones that were hand-raised.

And I mean, come on, if that school can take students to R-rated movies, why can't it enlist them in butchering??

Are you a parent?​

 

[PineappleMama]

There's a point... in Bio you have to cut up the frog, but you aren't required to raise it from a tadpole before the day.

But then you aren't studying how to raise it to eat it either... you're doing it to study organs specifically.

Eh.. that point could go either way I guess... but still a valid point.

I hope they keep the program, it sounds like a really great one for those who wish to take it, who want to know... and to be sure that's who takes the class they need 100% disclosure of exactly what'll be happening. Get student and parent signature... and have a specific drop date so that if they realize they can't hack it they must drop the class by X.... so that there's a way out besides failure.

There is a way to have a good program like this and not offend anyone... just needs a little thought and planning. Well worth it IMO... I think my son would learn a LOT more, and keep that knowledge for later in life, in a class like this, or shop (doesn't exist any more here) or even a good Home Etc program than he would spending an entire semester learning about weightlifting... but that's me... and I know my son doesn't plan to be a weightlifter as a career... but he does plan to EAT as an adult... if that makes sense? I'd love to see programs like this, and the other same type ones, continued or brought back... think we'd all be a little better off for it.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Quote:
Where your food comes from? Are you a parent?

No, I'm not a parent. But I've been around chickens my whole life. I saw them butchered at a young age, and I didn't have

feelings. It was more like, "Hey, there goes the chicken down the hill." I knew that chickens were good for eggs and meat, and I didn't grudge them being used to their full potential.

That being said, I DO have some egg layers that I am more fond of, but I'm not going to go fall in love with one of my broilers or something.
Maybe that class should care for egg layers so the students can also learn bout a less traumatic aspect of animal husbandry.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
I think one of the things I read said it was 1 of 4 classes she could have taken for that required credit... Cant find it it now so I may be wrong.

 

[debilorrah]

chocolate m'scovy :

Quote:
Where your food comes from? Are you a parent?

No, I'm not a parent. But I've been around chickens my whole life. I saw them butchered at a young age, and I didn't have

feelings. It was more like, "Hey, there goes the chicken down the hill." I knew that chickens were good for eggs and meat, and I didn't grudge them being used to their full potential.

That being said, I DO have some egg layers that I am more fond of, but I'm not going to go fall in love with one of my broilers or something.
Maybe that class should care for egg layers so the students can also learn bout a less traumatic aspect of animal husbandry.

You seem really likeable.

I have no issue with people knowing where their food comes from, especially if they raise it themselves. What I have an issue with is a class curriculum that is not fully disclosed to a minor persons parents. IMHO that is where they screwed up.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Quote:
Well, I do agree, in a way. But think of it in a better light: maybe some parents would be too squeamish to let their kids do something so "graphic" as butchering. Soooo... at least the kids get more life experiences. I think even more urban parents would be happier in the long run. (Well, I hope...

)

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
I think classes like this an home economics should be required. My opinion, acquiring an fixing food is something you are guaranteed to need some time in your life to survive. You don't need to be able to read, wright or do math to survive. It helps but not knowing how is not going to kill you. Starving will.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Very simply put:

1. The school has every right and even a responsibility to educate children on issues that affect the lives of their students. Food is definitely one of these issues. The school was not out of line offering this class and requiring children to slaughter an animal in the process.

2. NO one should be expected to kill an animal or for that matter process an animal UNLESS there is a full understanding this would be required before the person signed up for the class. The school WAS at fault for not communicating this with the children and their parents. PERIOD!!!! And before you disagree, I taught school for several years and every teacher and administrator knows that you must get everything in writing prior to moving forward... This includes going on field trips, walking around the neighborhood, leaving the school grounds for any reason or in this case killing a chicken...

To the young lady who dealt with this issue:

No matter how right you feel there is always a consequence for your actions. I have some pretty strong beliefs about laws which I believe to be completely inappropriate. When I feel strongly enough, I break them but I know if I'm caught there will be consequences. We call these acts Civil Disobedience. I'll give you two examples of people who have used civil disobedience to change our world... Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. I'm not comparing saving a chicken to what these two have done but I am educating you a little... Both of these individuals knowingly broke the law and both of these people faced the consequences of their actions. By doing this, they exposed evil laws which as a result of their civil disobedience and public outcry these laws were changed. You acted with civil disobedience, now you have to face the consequences. Stealing is wrong, you won't change that but you did save your chicken and thus maybe it was worth breaking that rule and facing your consequence. Leaving school was wrong and you won't change that but again, you saved your chicken and the consequence might be worth it. What you did expose is that your school was inappropriate in their administration of this class and the lack of disclosure to you and your parents. That was wrong on their part and although you were punished and will likely be punished in other ways at your school, you have definitely changed that. My hope is that your civil disobedience didn't cause this to go too far the other direction. As a young man, I would have loved to have been taught at school and given credit on how to raise farm animals, and how to process them correctly. Just because you don't agree doesn't mean you should take other's rights to learn how to kill and process animals correctly away from them.

Good job with Civil Disobedience and know as you are dealing with the consequences of your actions that you are in good company but alas, remember not everyone sees this like you do and never, EVER will. I appreciate your willing to take all the criticism coming your way though! You are being a great sport about it.