Animal Slaughter as Education

Re “School Defends ‘T-Bone’s’ Slaughter as Educational,” May 19: As a vegetarian and animal rights advocate, I have very ambivalent feelings about the slaughtering of the cow at Carbon Canyon Christian School. Schools should not be destroying animals as a mere spectacle. The teen activists were right in trying to prevent this. However, there may be some potential good in allowing small children to watch farm animals being slaughtered.

I assume that all of these children love hamburgers, hot dogs and bacon. Urban children assume that their food just comes from the supermarket and do not realize the true source. I was chagrined to read that many of the young students were fascinated by the process. It was also reported that several became sick from the sight. I will bet that these children will never eat another hamburger. If this needless slaughter caused some to swear off meat for the rest of their lives, perhaps it wasn’t a total loss.

It was also unfortunate that this mockery occurred in a sterile environment. This animal did not know what was about to happen. The best education for these children would be taking a field trip to a slaughterhouse and witnessing the true terror and agony that the animals face.

Kathleen Watanabe

Irvine

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Carbon Canyon Christian School in Brea has added a new subject to its curriculum: Animal Slaughter 101. What happened to the three Rs and to teaching our children love and compassion for all living beings? Shame on the principal and shame on those parents who allowed their children to witness this horrendous act. Do we still wonder where and why our children learn about violence? Send them to Carbon Canyon Christian School for a hands-on lesson on where hamburger comes from.

Mirja Bishop

Los Angeles