It seems a bit unfair to me. Of course, I would never have a pet snake either (no offense meant to any snake owners out there). But a snake catching a rat or mouse in the wild is a bit more natural than a poor rat in a closed environment like an aquarium, with no chance of escape.
I agree with you Logan. What a sad experience for Helen. I wished the teacher had told them in advance. It is great to hear different sides from this topic.