Vegans in school

[kill_inhibition]

My son started school this year. ETA: He's only 4.5 and knows why we're vegan because "we don't need to use animals so we don't" and other simple and basic explanations.

The teacher seemed annoyed that we were vegan. She asked if I would make exceptions for some of her classes because "F is for Feather....you know, where we make crafts with

Comments

[beachbum_midget]

I think that it is important to show him that there are some places that can harbor a positive experience for animals. This shows that humans can be compassionate. Now as far as letting a bunch of different inexperienced children milk a goat, I really do not think this is a positive thing for a goat unless they are strictly supervised but I am not one to judge

[kill_inhibition]

That one petting zoo is the only physical experience my son has had with animals that aren't considered "pets".

I have a much broader experience which is why I hesitate. I've seen industrial chicken farming, geese farming, animal slaughter, I used to ride/race horses...I just like to be involved as little as possible. I'm Native, have been hunting and was raised with subsistent living as my dad/we would hunt the meat and all that.

Thanks for your input. While I will never agree with petting farms and the like I do appreciate that some non-vegans treat the animals in their care with respect and love to a point. However I don't know that this is the case with this particular farm as I've never been there. I will definitely get in contact with them and see if I can make a visit alone prior to the school trip. My sons teacher really doesn't want to bring James unless I go because she thinks it will go badly/is not willing/equipped to answer his questions that reference veganism in that situation.

[heathergalaxy]

I met someone recently whose daughter went to a zoo as part of her camp and she made up a little worksheet to check off problematic behaviors and conditions and all that and also parts write behavioral statements. I thought that was a pretty smart way to go about it! Turn it into a learning exercise!

[kill_inhibition]

That's a good idea. My kid is only 4.5 though. I'm sure he wouldn't even know what or why something might be problematic without it being pointed out though, which is why if he goes, I'll go with him.

[heathergalaxy]

Ahhhh gotcha. Yeah, you'd need to wait a couple years for that activity (I think the girl was 7-8ish).

hmmm. Since we live in a non-vegan world, I think it's useful to have them see the problems even in these things that seem benign. However, at a younger age it would probably be a little harder to do that since you're not going to want to contrast it yet with more typical factory farming.

Good luck! I'm hoping to encounter this problem myself in the next several years, so I hope you'll let us know what worked!

I think the corn maze is like going to a nonvegan resto... some of us are cool with that, some aren't. I think that's up to you. I just went to the county fair and skipped all the horrible animal stuff, but there's clearly an argument that I should have just not gone.

Best of luck!

[kill_inhibition]

Exactly. I'm definitely not going to show him Earthlings and with a class of 25 other excited kids and adults telling him it's all good...I feel a bit stuck. I want him to have the exposure and experiences and to form his own opinion but this set up isn't reality for 99.9% of animals being used.

I feel the same way about the corn maze/amusement park/even farmers markets, just wondering if I was the only one/in the wrong about it. It's extremely hard to avoid all animal exploitation, especially when you have kids who want to do these things and there aren't a vegan alternative. I guess places with "animal side attractions" might be the best case to educate my kids with real life exposure until they're old enough to handle the more abusive reality animals face.

And I wish you all the best as you build your family! It's exciting new territory! :)

[kill_inhibition]

I don't know what you mean. You wouldn't do anything about what? Yes, my son knows almost everyone else we know eats meat (we live in a mixed home where half of the people are vegan and half are not), but at 4.5 I don't expect him to know the significance about what might be controversial about picking eggs out from under hens without it being pointed out to him, especially if the hens seem relatively well kept.

I'm not sure. She said "Oh, I saw in the extra notes section of the application that you're Veg-guns...what exactly is that?" Once I told her she just seemed annoyed and accusatory. Maybe she owns dairy cows for all I know, either way she did not like it. I've met her 4 times as of today. I have no idea why. I said I would provide any alternatives including making paper feathers for my son on the 'F' day of the alphabet to which she snorted at me.

[franklanguage]

A lot of people take it like, "Oh, so you're better than me, huh?" I sure wish they didn't have that attitude, but a lot of them do. A lot are defensive because they feel threatened; it's almost like you want to take something away from them.

And there's the part of it where people are addicted to dairy products, so they will be resistant if a) someone else is different and b) they think someone's trying to change them. I've encountered this distrust a lot. My sister, for instance, has said to me, "I refuse to give up cheese! It's my favorite food!" as if someone was literally trying to take it away.

Sadly, she has MS and her doctor has still told her to eat as much dairy "as you can get your hands on." Most people don't realize how insane it is to try and build bones by eating dairy-but I'll get off my soapbox now before I go on a rant.

[kill_inhibition]

But, she didn't even know what vegan is...I don't know how I came off like that! I just told her what it is by definition and offered substitutions when needed as well as asked her to clarify the field trip. It did seem like she was defensive but I certainly wasn't aggressive about it. :/

And wtf to that doctor! Ugh...no. I guess your sister isn't interested in doing some research on the subject? Maybe get her The China Study for Christmas...

[supermelanie]

He's 4. If he were mine, i'd let him go on the trip and when he's old enough to understand what it means, explain to him the reality of animals in those situations. All he'll understand at this age is that everyone got to do a really fun thing that he didn't get to do.

[kill_inhibition]

You would be comfortable enough to let him milk goats and collect eggs as a vegan or just go and see how things are run? Do you think that conflicting your message about veganism and animal rights "we don't do this because it's not vegan except in this instance because it's fun" is not harmful in the long run for the child and animals (in general)?

I'm lucky that I know my son well enough that he won't be upset about not doing such things. My son consistently passes on "fun" things on his own accord he knows aren't vegan like going to the zoo or going out and eating ice cream with the family at DQ or something.

[supermelanie]

I would be totally comfortable letting him milk goats and collect eggs. Those things aren't inherently harmful to the animals, and I certainly wouldn't describe them as "fun." I would NOT let him go if the chickens were caged or they were using milking machines or something... if he were older, I'd let him go as an informative experience, but not at 4. And honestly I don't think many people consider the farming experience "fun" so I wouldn't worry about him getting the wrong idea there

[kill_inhibition]

Seriously made me LOL! Or like, fruit or fan or fabric...or or or flower! How hard is flower to think of!?

[kill_inhibition]

Seriously. This teacher needs to get with the times and expand her horizon. If feather is the only thing she can think of then I'm not really sure she's the right person to trust to teach my son anything, let alone the alphabet.