Anger and frustration at work

[IRescue452]

I know I've posted a few times about classroom pets and neglect, but this one takes the cake. We're doing summer cleaning right now where we go room-to-room and clean from floor to ceiling and then strip and wax the floors. I went into a teacher's room yesterday for the first time since school ended a month ago and I did not like what I found. She left her class pets! She had a large mystery snail and a large clawed frog in a tank. The snail is dead but the frog is still alive. Its skin and bones! I think it lived by eating the snail's insides once the snail died. I gave it food because she left the food sit out by the tank. The filter is running but the water level is almost low enough for it to be running dry. I'm going to take home a water sample in a water bottle when my supervisor isn't in the room. She doesn't understand how outraged I am. Its not only that, but the teachers organize their rooms and pack stuff they don't want touched onto their cupboards before leaving. She clearly was stacking stuff next to the tank before she walked away for the summer. I wish I could tell the students that their psycho teacher left their class pets to starve over summer. I'd probably get fired. This was a 5th grade class though and I do work with the 6th grades rooms over the school year... This teacher's new nickname is Jeffery Dahmer.

[happylabs]

There is just no excuse for that! That would make me angry too. I think it should be brought to someone's attention. How cruel.

[caseysmom]

Definitely report that how horrible.

She surely could have found a family to take them, my daughters teacher talked us into the class rat one year.

[Grace]

A situation similar to this happened in our area a few years back. The police and animal control were called in. I think you all should do the same.

What the teacher did is animal cruelty and should be addressed.

[jennielynn1970]

Is there any way you can take the frog home to keep it alive??

I can't believe a teacher would just "forget" that they had classroom pets. Poor things.

[MoonandBean]

I guess she didn't view them as "living"...what exactly is she teaching her students about "pets" anyway? Grrrr.........

[pomtzu]

Since the food was out by the tank, I wonder if she had arranged for someone to come in and care for them, and they didn't? Just a thought, since I'd hate to think of anyone purposely leaving them to starve to death.

[phesina]

A situation similar to this happened in our area a few years back. The police and animal control were called in. I think you all should do the same.

What the teacher did is animal cruelty and should be addressed.

Absolutely. And a call to the local newspaper or TV station might also be in order. That is just outrageous, and this person has no business being in a position of influence over children.

[IRescue452]

The frustrating part is I can't afford to lose my job. I'll definately be taking care of it over the rest of the summer and maybe just take it one day. I don't think she arranged any feedings, during the school year when I had to go in her room the food was just sitting out by the tank as well.

[caseysmom]

Well she should be the one losing her job not you but I understand how you feel.

[Medusa]

Yes, it's always tricky when your job is in jeopardy. But someone in authority needs to know about it, especially if you feel that she didn't make arrangements for the pets feeding. I would most definitely talk to her directly but then again, that's your call. At least the frog is now being taken care of by you, thank goodness. Thank you for caring.

[jennielynn1970]

Seriously, take the frog. Leave the tank.

What is the teacher going to say??? "I left the class pet frog here for the summer with no one to feed it, and now it's gone!" Not gonna happen.

As a teacher myself, I do know that many other teachers make arrangements for the pets to go home with a student(s) over the summer if they are not their own pets. I know the end of the year, and the last day especially, is a busy one, but it's NOT that busy that you forget a pet. Shame on them.

[Marigold2]

Yes take the frog and leave the tank. Tell the b&^%ch that the frog died to her neglect and report her. One wonders how she treats the kids.

[Daisy and Delilah]

What a poor example she's setting. There is no excuse for that except for what Ellie said. Maybe she thought someone else was caring for them?

[IRescue452]

I left a note by the tank asking if anybody was caring for it. I doubt anyone will write anything back. The only animal control in the area is the local police and they'd probably fine me for wasting their time. The only time I was ever able to report a teacher was last year because the species she was neglecting was illegal.