1576: Be Cruel to be Kind

[lizzy1e]

I don't see anything wrong with taking the kids to the slaughterhouse to learn where meat comes from. I guess the teacher should have had the kids sign permission slips and have given them the option to stay behind, but come on. I hate how sensitive the world has become, if they want to eat it they should know what it is. I learned very quickly what mutton was while visiting my uncle's farm in Scandinavia at age 6, becoming "friends" with two sheep and soon after seeing them being gutted. It was not pleasant, but it got me asking questions about where food came from and it really didn't do any harm.

And remember, kids: you can't spell "slaughter" without "laughter".

[DWarrior]

What should be more concerning about that school is the kids obviously haven't been taught to use the Internet.

[andyoureuglytoo]

Originally Posted by Jessica332

The slaughter house thing was so wrong for the kids but so funny to me. I made everyone listen to it at work today making sure they knew this was my favorite podcast Keith and The Girl. They all laughed and loved it. I will convert them to be fans if it is the last thing I do.

Where are you at in Ohio? Maybe we can ban together and convert them!

Originally Posted by sarahbb

But teachers really should be able to do more hands on things, perhaps fifth grade is a little too young for a slaughter house, I don't know, but it's possible that now there will be twenty more vegetarians in the world?

5th grade might be a little young, but it's important to know where your food comes from and how it's made. Keith and Chemda have talked of the pussification of America and separating ourselves from the process of food production is one of the things that is causing it to happen. People are getting too removed from essential facts of life.

Without experiencing where food comes from, you are unable to respect it. (Not just meat, but vegetables.) The actual cost of food becomes lost. Once you lose respect for food, it becomes nothing but McDonald's and prepacked shit–*like most Americans are used to eating. You have no qualms about wasting it.

People need to understand the time it takes to grow the food, how the food is processed (is turned into pink slime?) and how the food is prepared. Even if these necessary parts of life are something we'd rather not think about.

School is a great place to learn about these things. All students should visit a farm, a dairy, a slaughterhouse, etc. just as we all visited civic institutions like firehouses, theaters, chocolate factories, etc.