A high school teacher in Texas faces backlash for revealing to her students that she had fed an “ailing” kitten to a classroom snake in September.
The educator responsible for an advanced animal science course at Alvord High School, located about an hour from Dallas, informed her teenage students that the snake had consumed a sick kitten alive. Subsequently, she sent the remaining kittens home with a student.
The student, reportedly distressed by the incident, received permission from their parents to keep the remaining three week-old kittens, but sadly, all of them later died at their new home, as stated by Alvord ISD Superintendent Randy Brown in a statement provided to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The conscientious student made efforts to nurture the newborn kittens, bottle-feeding them every few hours for two weeks, but despite their care, the kittens could not survive, as detailed by the teenager’s mother to the outlet.
Brown released the statement to “set the record straight” amid reports that suggested the kitten was fed to the snake in front of a horrified classroom filled with students.
A concerned parent alerted the district’s police, the Animal Control Division of the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, and PETA on September 3 after hearing their child recount the disturbing story, leading to a joint investigation involving the school district and local law enforcement.
Brown reassured that the teacher is “an experienced educator and animal enthusiast” who has taken responsibility for her actions and has since apologized to her class.
The teacher also made the decision to “voluntarily” remove all snakes from the classroom, according to the superintendent.
“While we cannot share further details, we can confirm that this incident was an isolated one that has been addressed and resolved,” Brown stated.
The source of the sickly kittens and the reasons for their condition remain unclear.
No criminal charges have been filed against the teacher, as stated by Brown, and any future administrative decisions will be handled by the school district.
It is worth noting that many snakes native to Texas are not known to prey on domesticated animals.
Texas snakes, including species like the cottonmouth and various types of rattlesnakes, are primarily recognized for their venom and not for consuming pets.
In contrast, smaller snakes generally focus on hunting more attainable prey, such as insects and other reptiles.
Burmese pythons found in Florida are much more inclined to target prey that offers a more significant challenge.
