Silence of Marcus the Lamb: Pet Lamb Butchered After Vote by Children
Marcus the little lamb was slaughtered Monday despite angry protests, negative publicity and possible threats. The decision to have the hand-raised, six-month-old pet lamb butchered was made by the school children who raised him.
In January, Marcus was added to an educational school farm project in Kent, England. About 250 children participated in the hands-on project that teaches the students about the aspects of farming and raising animals. Ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs are also part of the project.
The children of the Lydd Primary school council voted – and most agreed Marcus should be butchered. The council, comprised of 14 young children, voted 13 to 1 to send him to slaughter. The children who voted were between the ages of 7 and 11.
Headmistress Andrea Charman issued a statement on Monday, “The decision to send the lamb for meat, which has the support of the school council and staff, the governing body and the majority of parents, has now been carried out.”
Although many parents supported the decision to butcher Marcus, others were outraged by the decision and began a campaign to save the little lamb who had been bottle-fed since birth by the children. An online campaign to save the lamb began to rally support. Paul O’Grady, a popular talk show host, offered to purchase Marcus and give him safe sanctuary. Businesses also offered to buy the lamb. Some suggested using Marcus to teach children about wool. Others worry about children being traumatized by the decision.
Since Marcus had been castrated, he could not have been used for breeding purposes. The money from Marcus was going to be used for a raffle to buy piglets for the farm, but that has been put on hold. In fact, the entire farm project may be discontinued due to the negative response and outcry over Marcus. A campaign to have Charman removed as Headmistress is also underway.
Officials are looking into possible threats made against the staff and school. A Facebook entry reportedly suggested the school be burnt down.
Little lamb photo in Kent from Law Keven
Yet another reason why I enjoy being vegetarian.
What kind of screwed up children vote to eat their class pet?
I can get behind teaching kids about farming. I even understand teaching them about the food chain and circle of life. However, that is very different from killing an animal that [a] could have served a different purpose and [b] was raised as a pet. Did no one read Charlotte’s Web to these students?
The only people who appear to work under the delusion that the lamb was a pet are the protestors, headline writers and Tobias. The lamb was an animal, part of a farming education program that apparently reached its goals. In a time when so many people are divorced from the realities of where their food comes from and how it gets to their table, it’s refreshing to know that at least some children understand and accept the realities of production.
And for all we know, Marcus the lamb was a big jerk.
Apparently the children, unlike the those who are willing to burn the school, and other dream-world protestors, understand what farm animals are for, and what real life is about. Congratulations, kids. Perhaps there is hope for this world after all.
That one child who voted against the slaughter spent time with the lamb and probably became “friends” with it. The emotional attachment is there for kids or can be, whereas it may not be the same for adult farmers. I think the school should have required a unanimous vote to protect all voters from emotional distress.
I think the farm project met its objectives. The children have learnt there is a good reason not to get too attached to production animals, they behaved like good farmers. They got a lesson in democracy as well. Unfortunately they seem to have copped a unnecessary exposure to public hysteria campaigns. Where unrelated folk try to bully a school when there are thousands of lambs just like marcus being butchered (actual not emotive usage)every day. I suppose it is easier picking on a school than the local farmer.
I think the idea of “continuing the educational process” by useing Marcus to teach about wool production, or even the raffel idea to generate money to further expand the lesson into pigs (ultimatley a lesson in economics) is commendable “outside the box” thinking. In fact sending Marcus to be butchered seems like one of the least educational solutions; would the students get to watch the process?
All the hysterics and threats are certainly insane, but seems that having 7-11 year olds “vote” is kind of a lazy cop-out.
As Ghandi said:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Clearly Bob Callihan lives as part of the herd-minded that will never see above himself to realize that he himself is an ‘animal’ like any other living, breathing being. If reincarnation does exist, I pray his return as a sheep on a farm so he can fully absorb the experience of exploitation of a life.
‘Jules’ said on September 16th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
As Ghandi said:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
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HOW NICE & TRUE….
GOOD ONE JULES !!! GOOD ONE…..
ONE THING’S FOR SURE…I’LL NEVER KILL A ‘pet’ THAT
HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE….
MORE SO–I’Ll NEVER SEND MY KID TO A SCHOOL LIKE THAT!
THERE IS NO MORE CONSCIENCE IN PEOPLE THESE DAYS…
Instead of teaching our kids to love Nature/Animals,
we let it happen ! CRAZY !!!
HOW MUCH MEAT CAN U GET FROM THAT POOR LAMB ?
Let alone–How much $$$ ?!!!
IF U NEED $$$ FOR OTHER PROJECTS–THEN, U SHOULD SELL
OFF THAT LAMB….to any farmer around there.
I SALUTE THAT 1 CHILD WHO ‘voted’ AGAINST…
THAT IS A HUMAN-BEING; THE REST ARE ‘humans’ only…
I think that this was actually a great lesson for kids because if you ask the average 7-11 year old they don’t know where their meat has come from! Raising a lamb caringly shows that you can get meat even if you spend the time to care for it instead of mass production farms who do not give their lambs a nice life. People eat meat, to have meat you need animals, therefore teaching kids how this happens is a good thing. They were learning about farming not having a pet. The child who voted against coud have done for a number of reasons but it doesnt mean it shouldn’t have happened or that they will be emotionally scarred because of it. The huge protest around it probably caused more confusion and damage than the lesson.