Lord of the Flies II: Parents and Activists Call For End of School Farm Program After Students Vote to Cull Lamb

A popular farming and livestock program at a primary school in Kent may be shutdown after the student council voted to ignore objections from parents and animal activists and have a six-month-old lamb named Marcus slaughtered for cash. The 14-member council composed of 6 to 11 year old children voted to turn Marcus into chops and to use the money to buy pigs for the program at Lydd primary school.

The children reared Marcus from birth and then shocked parents by announcing their decision to cull Marcus. He is a castrated lamb, so he cannot be used to expand the herd. The children also manage ducks, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs. The children were managing their stock and making the type of decision that farms (as opposed to zoos) make on the use of such animals.

Animal activists are insisting that Marcus should be used to teach kids about wool production and are now calling for an end of the program entirely.

The school has defended the children and noted that farms cull animals and that the children are making the type of decisions that are inherent in such an operation.

A good point, but they may want to consider what some English schoolboys did to a Piggy:

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