A daycare teacher in Alingsås in western Sweden has been warned for giving cat food to the children. In connection with a project about cats two weeks ago the teacher gave children the cat food to taste. It is not the first time the teacher has encouraged the children to taste feline feed, reports local newspaper Alingsås Tidning.
One of the children’s parents complained to the rector, Cecilia Knutsson, who decided to take action and warn the teacher. “You have shown poor judgment in giving the children cat food,” wrote Knutsson in the teacher’s warning letter. Knutsson described the teacher’s actions as “unethical and inappropriate.” The teacher was given the chance to explain her actions and the pedagogic reasoning behind the tasting. She has apologized and promised that there will be no repeat.
Several parents expressed their support for the embattled teacher. “We have the utmost confidence in her and her otherwise sound pedagogic work,” wrote the parents in a plea to the disciplinary board on the teacher’s behalf. No child was forced to eat the cat food, and besides, the food poses no danger to humans, the cat-owning teacher wrote in her statement
She was warned? Are these people crazy?
I’ve always liked the word pedagogic. Nice to see it used twice in the same story.
I’ve taught new Boy Scouts to eat dandelion blossoms, and I will again, too. They’re sweet, and you chew them up for a while. Then spit bright yellow. Great fun, for boys that age. Cat food? bfd.
Big deal. At least it wasn’t a Swedish delicacy like surströmming (fermented fish). Given a choice, I’d go for the cat food.
The most annoying thing is that now the kids all run into the daycare center’s kitchen whenever they hear the can opener. The distraction undermines the otherwise strong pedagogic foundation of their activities.
I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s okay (safe) for human consumption. In fact, pet food companies have human tasters to make sure the quality of the pet food meets standards.
#4. Uh Huh, I guess the pet foods from China were all tested by humans, how many pets died? But hey, go for it….LOL!
#2 …. uhm i fail to see the difference………
She made a little mistake and she was warned, not fired for her behavior. That seems fair and sensible compared to most of the weird stories that turn up on dvorak.org/blog.
#3 Gary, I laughed my ever-lovin’ ass off at that one.. can opener.. That’s the best!!! 😀
Now that DU is using Fark (douche-bag) graphics, you guys have “jumped the shark” and I have no reason to return.
[Har! – ed.]
there’s probably nothing worse in cat food than there is in hot dogs.
Thx, #8 JFStan. Yeah, cats are a crackup 😉
If you love your pets you do taste test their food.
Obligatory Lolcat
I think the Rector, Cecilia Knutsson, was just being a little to “anal” on this point. The government didn’t need to probe this, Rector Cecilia!!
#9 You think “DU” just “jumped the shark” now? This is your first time on this site, no? Wilkommen!
#12, Could you please have you chemist call my chemist with the chemical structure for your Lysergic acid diethylamide. Thanks, and God Bless!
The rationale for eating cat food to understand a cat’s experience when eating canned processed food is indeed silly. Cat’s are supreme hunters. They are so good at hunting that they hunt when they are not even hungry, but kill for sport. It is no wonder why we have befriended such a species.
warned with a fist.
when I was young a neighbour gave us dog biscuits… my parents went ballistic.
Cat food contains such outrageous ingredients as turkey, chicken and even…(spit)…tuna. How dare she try to feed this filth to our defenceless children, when they have plenty of chocolate and potato chips in their lunchboxes to keep them going.
#4 That’s right…one tester guy went on “Letterman” and ate dog food on the show. Drove the audience wild.
Ever wonder what is in dry pet food. Well, after the good meat is removed, and then the carcass is boiled and more meat falls off to make vienna sausages, slim jims, and potted meat.
Whatever is left is ground up and made into pet food, with GM corn mixed in to hide the origins of the meat slurry.