Dead octopus in daycare. Update in Pg4

[sequins]

PDQ

Hi everyone! I need to know if this would bother you at all. It bothers me but I'm open to other points of view.

My daughter's daycare teacher brought in a dead octopus for the kids to explore. Either my daughter was out during the day or they did it only with the older class but she didn't participate in it. 

They had some pictures up on the main wall of kids pulling the tentacles, checking out the eyes etc. And they had a comment that said that the kids weren't afraid to explore it because it was dead.

I'm personally not at all for the idea and would prefer if the kids were introduced to a live octopus in an aquarium. Showing the tentacles in motion and talking about their function seems more educational rather than just poking it. Plus why do you even need to touch and explore a dead octopus? 

What do you guys think? Am I off here?

[mooselovah]

Wtf?

Do they also bring in road kill, dead squirrels, dead lobsters or dead fish for kicks too?

No, this is not ok.

[wildrice]

This might be the weirdest question I've seen on here, lol. So random!

I don't even know what to think? I think touching a dead animal is pretty gross, and probably unsanitary.

So - I guess I'm anti-dead octopus? Where did that thing even come from?

[rosiebear]

Ugh. No. Dead wildlife does not belong there. So gross and unsanitary and the idea of just poking at it squicks me out.

And I once watched a human autopsy! But that was done under correct conditions, by professionals, in a damn lab.

[sequins]

Jan 2, 2018 22:58:08 GMT -5 wildrice said:

This might be the weirdest question I've seen on here, lol. So random!

I don't even know what to think? I think touching a dead animal is pretty gross, and probably unsanitary.

So - I guess I'm anti-dead octopus? Where did that thing even come from?

lol, I was thinking that as I was typing.

[mccallister84]

Where did the octopus come from? I mean was it preserved and meant for exploration or did it wash up on the shore one day when the teacher was at the beach?

ETA: I really have no idea what to think here but I feel a lot better about it if it came from a science company or something.

[isabel]

I wish you could have seen my face when I read your thread title.

I'm all for animal dissection in science class for older kids, but this seems weird for a daycare/preschool setting. So, yeah. I don't know if I'd be raising hell about it or anything, but it is most definitely odd.

eta: And when I say "all for" I mean that I don't find it weird in a setting like a science class with older kids. I don't have any particularly strong feelings either way on animal dissection and don't think it's really a necessary part of a child's education.

[sequins]

Jan 2, 2018 23:02:00 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

Where did the octopus come from? I mean was it preserved and meant for exploration or did it wash up on the shore one day when the teacher was at the beach?

ETA: I really have no idea what to think here but I feel a lot better about it if it came from a science company or something.

I think people eat them, so maybe from the supermarket? I can ask the daycare though.

[sushi]

Nonono

I've dissected many dead animals, at 3 different levels of education beginning in 5th all the way into college (only middle school didn't dissect)

It's so important to respect the animal. Kids that age do not have that capacity. And your description proves it.

Another thing I'd be concerned about if it weren't freshly dead is that the preservation chemicals are toxic. You need to wear gloves.

[sarahbear]

This doesn't bother me, but perhaps if my kids were younger I would be more shocked. It seems kind of cool and interesting.

[sushi]

Jan 2, 2018 23:06:17 GMT -5 sequins said:

Jan 2, 2018 23:02:00 GMT -5 mccallister84 said:

Where did the octopus come from? I mean was it preserved and meant for exploration or did it wash up on the shore one day when the teacher was at the beach?

ETA: I really have no idea what to think here but I feel a lot better about it if it came from a science company or something.

I think people eat them, so maybe from the supermarket? I can ask the daycare though.

Food octopus breaks down really quickly. I've mostly seen it live in stores. They kill it and you go right home and cook

[Leeham Rimes]

I can’t imagine I’d be pleased if my kids’ preschool brought in dead animals to explore. The closest they’ve gotten to dead things are bones and taxidermied stuff at the science center

WTF kind of messed up Pinterest board gave them that idea?

[isabel]

Also, I feel like there's got to be some kind of code or guideline that they have to abide by as a state-regulated center that would not allow them to bring dead animals into the classroom? Right? Like, this is just strange.

[meganew]

This is really weird, and I'd do some weird shit in my classroom.

[Dumbledork]

Wasn’t it on here that someone talked about their preschool having a dead fish for kids to explore?

Maybe that was one of the pre-K blogs I follow.

Either way, as a former preschool teacher, hell no to both.

[jackie011]

I once had a dad bring in an octopus from the grocery store for “O” week. It remained in the little clear plastic takeout container he brought it in, and we all counted down the time until pickup. No way was I going to let any child touch that with their bare hands.

I would definitely say something.

[smock]

Yes, this would bother me. It's gross and sad.

[JayhawkGirl]

We need the Nope octopus all over this thread.

[pantsparty]

WITAF? SERIOUSLY?

[JayhawkGirl]

My first ever image!

[lolo]

🤮

[blondemoment123]

What on earth?

[rupertpenny]

This is so fucking weird. I don't really want anyone teaching my preschooler that its cool to manhandle dead animals. I don't let her touch raw chicken when she "helps" me cook either.

[05heel]

The caption in that photo is killing me softly. The Octopus!

Pretty sure that was obvious from the picture.

[isabel]

Jan 3, 2018 6:16:43 GMT -5 05heel said:

The caption in that photo is killing me softly. The Octopus!

Pretty sure that was obvious from the picture.

“That’s an... no, surely it couldn’t be... they wouldn’t bring a dead octopus into the classroom.”

I think the caption was necessary. Lol

[dirtyred]

My feelings as an adult are different than those I would have had as a kid--I would have loved this.

[cville]

No. No no no.

[bcv513]

Oh hell no

[iamgrace]

No I would not be okay with this.

And I would demand to find out where it came from. Not that it would change my opinion, but I really feel like this octopus probably wasn't a planned part of curriculum ...

[rupertpenny]

I asked B if she would touch a dead octopus at school and she said “no! I don’t want to touch an octopus! That would feel so weird!”

And now she thinks her teacher is definitely bringing an octopus to school next week so good luck to Ms. Andrea trying to figure out WTF B is talking about, lol.