Don't mind my pessimism, but IMHO school is for learning and, in my personal experience, class pets distract the students and detract from the learning enviornment. While the arrival of a class pet may interest the students for awhile, there are FAR too many risks, too many liabilities, and too many "if's" to ensure a healthy and happy lifestyle for the animal.

Beyond that, some parents may feel insecure about their child's safety and health with an animal in the classroom. There are many diseases that young children can contract from animal feces. I would hardly think it safe to allow young children to handle animal feed or excrement (which is what taking care of an animal is about). Besides *that*, in compliance with proper hygenics, the children MUST wash their hands after handling the animal. This will require a LOT of handwashing and a LOAD of supervising. I'm sorry, but parents don't pay their hard-earned money to watch their children to dawdle around a bunny or guinea pig.

Therefore, if the purpose of a classroom pet is to educate the children about the proper care of animals, what purpose does it serve when the children are not allowed to pet or care for it? It's just not a good idea... :/