Posted on 03/05/2008 8:54:28 AM PST by girlangler
Eagle Rock teacher creates insect monitor job to treat creatures respectfully
By Naush Boghossian, Staff Writer
When Eagle Rock teacher Melodie Conrad saw a student stomp on a bug several years ago, she knew she had to do something.
But while student monitors for the hallways, chalkboards and classroom windows have been around for years, nobody was quite prepared for the new duty she created: bug monitor.
Now, if any creepy-crawly wanders into her classroom at Eagle Rock Elementary School & Magnet Center, the student bug monitor swoops in with a paper towel or napkin, scoops up the critter and shepherds it outside.
"I absolutely just feel like we live in a society where violence is prevalent, and I've seen that over the years I've been teaching. I just wanted to be careful that they're exposed to just the opposite in this room," said Conrad, a 21-year teaching veteran.
"I'm not trying to turn them into bug activists. But I hear these kids say how cool it is when they shot this person in a video game or how cool these bloody movies are, and I'm concerned. That made me think."
To get her students to start thinking about the same issues, she asks them why some want to kill bugs. And it's instilled a sense of respect for life among her students.
Rebecca Tokofsky, 9, said she used to call her dad to get rid of a "scary-looking spider." Now, she is eager for her turn to become bug monitor.
"I don't like hurting animals," she said. "Even though they're tiny, they have an ecosystem, and it's a good idea to take bugs outside and to be kind, even though sometimes it's creepy."
Conrad's bug monitor bid comes amid a growing national shift in consciousness toward more socially responsible efforts, from recycling to caring about endangered species.
An Internet search shows several bug-advocate sites including Insect Rights Activists, an organization that "lobbies for the humane treatment of insects."
"Insects are prone to unnecessary slaughter," said Daniel Marlos, department chair of media arts at Los Angeles City College.
So Marlos, who doesn't have a background in entomology, launched www.whatsthatbug.com to offer general information on which insects are harmless.
"What we promote is trying to stop senseless slaughter, just people being afraid of things they know absolutely nothing about," he said. "Once they understand it's not harmful, they don't hurt them, and they become a little bit more tolerant."
But the message also is a lot bigger than just bugs.
"The Web site is trying to promote tolerance on many levels," said Marlos, 51. "It has far greater ramifications in terms of a world view than just killing insects.
"It's more of a prevailing world view that when they don't understand something, they fear it and want to get rid of it."
Dirck Morgan, a 54-year-old radio-TV reporter from Tujunga, said he grew up respecting all forms of life because of martial arts training that started at age 8.
"It boils down to: Unless something is endangering us, like a black widow or bugs that carry germs, I can easily coexist with it," he said.
"I have a deal with nature - it leaves me alone; I leave it alone. I never had a deer pull a knife on me and demand my wallet."
He and his wife have passed that sensibility to their son, 12-year-old Makena.
"It's important because people are going to have to get along with nature sooner or later, and it also teaches them how to behave with other kids as well and how to make new friends," Makena said. "It really does teach me to get along with other kids."
People are paying more attention to such views in the wake of tragedies such as the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 - in which the two students who killed a dozen teens and a teacher had a history of torturing animals.
"Animal issues are becoming more and more a part of our consciousness," said Sangeeta Kumar, coordinator for the teachkind.org program for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which offers schools and colleges free humane-education materials and policy resources.
"If you can teach a child to respect and protect the smallest and most maligned among us, you can help create better citizens who have compassion for others."
But while Kumar said PETA has heard of students being inspired to stop stepping on bugs, the group has never heard of any teacher in the country like Conrad who has created a bug monitor.
To show its gratitude for the unique idea - and in hopes Conrad will serve as an example to others - Kumar said PETA will give the Eagle Rock Elementary instructor a Compassionate Teacher Award.
Still, some suggest society is becoming too sensitive. On the HBO comedy show "Curb Your Enthusiasm," actor Larry David highlighted the issue in an episode last season.
While on a school campus, he notices a spider scurrying on the pavement and stomps on it - only to see horrified faces of students and parents who yell at him for killing a living thing.
Thrown off by the reaction, he defends himself by stating what's obvious to him: It's just a spider.
Marlos acknowledges society might have taken political correctness a bit far and says he wouldn't demonize someone who squashes a bug.
But a higher level of compassion can't be so bad in the world, he said.
"What we're seeing is there's this trend that people used to be vegetarians and now they're vegans, and there's animal rights and animal activism," he said. "People are very much concerned about the environment and are becoming a little bit more understanding."
Still, some say that with all of the bigger problems in the world, it's a bit much to worry about the "feelings" of a spider.
There are plenty of Internet sites that take a stab at the politically correct stance - including the tongue-in-cheek People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects group.
Those who make getting rid of insects their business acknowledge some frustration.
"We're in the pest-control business. That's all we do is kill," said Lori Helwed of Terminix exterminators and pest control in Chatsworth. "It is a little much."
“I don’t kill them unless I need to. One the other hand I get a special pleasure out of collecting Japanese beetles by the hundreds and throwing them in the lake for the fish.”
Those fish, no doubt, do the harmony-with-nature dance with those beetles, and accept them into their family, just like in Disney movies.
“Try going to a jungle and see if you feel the same way about bugs.
Every day liberals go out of their way to prove that they are start raving mad.”
Is that worse than stark raving mad?
Of course when you let one bug out, three more come in.
“Meantime there is no time for teaching the kiddies the three R’s.”
What, Relocating, Rachmanus and Roaches?
“They probably dont want to know about the time I killed a black widow spider with a blast from a 12 ga shotgun.”
Did you use bird shot, double-ought or slugs? And did your wife forgive you for taking down her favorite vase with it?
Is a ‘bug on the eye’ like a ‘fly on the wall’?
Knows all? Sees all?
That person needs Vicene [sp?] Eye drops BAD!!
(p.s.: Eagle Rock is where they recently had a rash of Mexican gangbangers randomly shooting Blacks to "ethnically cleanse" the neighborhood. Stomping bugs is the least of these kiddies problems.)
Ah, yes, the Spartan Oubliette.
Such a kick.
It reminds me of the scene in "Airplane" when the passengers were lining up to smack the "hysterical" individual. Except that was funny, and what occurred here was simply shameful.
This really bugs me. I remember when the Beatles came to town, somebody I knew went to the store and bought RAID.
Perhaps the teacher believes people should bee good. At least, the Bee’s favorite drink is a stinger.
You knew you'd pull the Waspman out of the woodwork with that appetizing drink, din'tcha??? (Really gives ya a buzz!!!)
Be nice to spiders. (Charlotte's Web)
Thanks for the ping!
I recommend relocating all termites to the house of this “teacher”.
Death from above! (crunch)
:’D
Hey, the student was just doing a magic trick. He turned the bug into a vegetable, namely a squash.
Let's take up a collection and send this "teacher" and I use the term loosely to the Florida Everglades so she can feed the mosquitoes.
I have avoided this thread to hide my disdain for the anti insect hordes that populate America and post on Free Republic.
Since conception, kids are trained to hate and fear insects. Insects are our friends. Until we learn to communicate with colonial inscets we can forget about intergalactic travel.
wow.....
We need to talk
How did you know it was a black widow. Most spiderphobes kill and then declare the victim to be a black widow. Garfield does it all the time
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