Class Pets
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/blockquote>

Keeping animals in the classroom teaches the wrong kind of
lesson. Rather than teaching responsibility for animals'
well-being, allowing animals to be used as "learning
tools" lowers their status in the minds of students. Young
people make generalizations based on the lessons that they
learn from authority figures and can conceive of an
endless variety of disrespectful and harmful animal "uses"
once they are taught that animals are "tools." Teaching
children about the responsibility involved in caring for
captive animals ignores the question of whether animals
belong in cages at all. Teachers who want to teach
students about animals and responsibility should lead
discussions about ethical issues such as these, rather
than setting examples that encourage children to confine
animals for human use.

When the school year ends, these "pets" frequently end up
in already-overworked shelters or at the ...See More
CLM /blockquote>

Although I appreciate your concern for the well being of
animals and their uses in the classroom, I have to say that
your posting is a little extreme and accusatory. It is
unfair to generalize all teachers who do have classroom pets
as irresponsible. It is also irrational to state that
keeping pets in th...See More
Jul 5, 2007
Amanda M /blockquote>

Many children have never had responsible pet ownership
modeled for them. Some families don't have pets, and some
kids have watched adults neglect/abuse pets (or people).
They need a good example. Teachers can show children what
it means to respect and care for a weaker, dependent being.
Open discussion o...See More
Jul 13, 2007


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