Year 6 (11 year olds) torturing worms

No it shouldn’t. Our boy was (still is as a young man) thoughtful and caring. He would never have killed another living thing.

No I wasn’t, quite the opposite actually

I'm not really sure how much pain a worm would feel... at the least, they have a very low level of consciousness compared to other animals

I asked my DS10 what he thought of this situation as an example and his first response was 'that's bullying'. He immediately thought about how the DS in question would have felt within the context of the situation (again stressing the point that this isn't about killing a worm or the fact we step on insects unintentionally every single day, but the way it was done). So, no, it isn't 'normal' for every boy this age. In fact, he ended with 'why would they be so mean to their friend when he was trying to care for a worm?'.

I would be very unhappy if my child did that and I'd want to know. It's a good opportunity to have an assembly about kindness to all creatures so I would let the school know if your son is happy to share it with them.

Usually escalates too, for those saying “it’s just a worm’. Might just be your child next… or you, or something you care about

Some people have lost their minds

MsGrahamCheese · Yesterday 23:16
Sounds fairly standard behaviour for primary school boys

No, it really isn’t.

Don't agree with the comparison between swatting flies and intentionally killing something by maliciously stamping on it I'm afraid.

It's a worm, it doesn't matter. If you drive a car you splat lots of flies. Shops sell sprays to specifically kill things like fleas. Things like insects and worms really don't matter. If the kids were torturing a cow or something, that would warrant attention, but to worry about a worm getting stamped on is ridiculous.

If I were a worm, I'd rather be jumped on than stuck on a hook thrown in the water and eaten by fish.
It's a worm ffs!

My SS taught sport (very rough area primary school), the class were on the field and the kids came across a toad/frog and wanted to torture it. My SS tried to find a safe place to release it but the kids would go get it back. So he spent the entire lesson with the poor creature in his hands until the kids went back inside and he could release it safely. No amount of talking to them made any difference.

Caterpillars and worms are not the same thing. Not even close, completely different phyla. But then, if you are using The Very Hungry Caterpillar as your reference source, I shouldn't be surprised.

@Isittimeformynapyet Worms don't eat living plants, you numpty

Yes, yes they do. Have you not ever read The Hungry Caterpillar. Those fuckers munch through leaves like you would not believe. They decimate a crop of greens overnight. I have zero qualms picking them off and squashing them.

Eta- I do understand there are eleventy million types of worms. Also never had any issue with poisoning them with combantrim when young kids managed to bring them home. Didn’t do an anal flush and cuddle the fuckers.

Little shits, I absolutely loathe kids like that. Definitely tell the school.

There are kids around here that like catapulting animals, I have real hate for them. They won’t be nice adults, I can guarantee it.

Be proud of your son OP.

Speak to the school do not speak to the children involved or their parents because that never ends well.

I don’t like either op. Thankfully DD is very caring towards animals. She comes running for sugar water when she sees a bee on the floor in need of help. She also once stuck a plaster on a snail whose shell has cracked.

I can’t see the school doing much. Maybe they will. There used to be a group of 3 lads near me who used to carry magnifying glasses so they could burn ants with the sun. They threw rocks at rabbits and tied tins to stay cats.
One of them attached a parachute from a toy to his sister’s hamster and then tied it to a firework and let it off.
All they seem to do was torture animals especially the ring leader seems obsessed with it. If you wanted to be his friend you had to do something horrid to an animal. I remember looking at him once and thinking his eyes just looked dead. He really scared me as a kid.

Dont know about the other two but the ringleader is in prison for beating up his wife and child.

Exactly this. I'm quite shocked at posters dismissing this as it's 'just a worm'.

Worms don't eat living plants, you numpty.

Gardeners encourage worms because they are good for the soil. I thought this was common knowledge.

To stick with the animal theme, the school have bigger fish to fry than this

Ffs. I’ve never hurt an animal in my life but I sure as shit use fly spray on flies/mosquitoes and while I’m more of a thong expert with spiders I’ve been known to spray the odd one here and there if in a tricky spot I can’t be sure I’ll have a ‘first kill’ with my ‘spider thong’. I also pick worms off the veges I’m growing and tread on them - I’m not going to thank them for having a munch or kiss them and put them back!

When around the age you are talking about I used to cut up earthworms to determine where/how they lived as two parts dependant on where you cut them.

I’ve never hurt animals, humans or had thoughts of serial killing. I just couldn’t raise an eyebrow about this.

Why not...?

I didnt say it should be

I would be horrified if my son stamped on a worm but I am not sure much can be done.

What are children doing with hockey sticks unsupervised at lunchtime?

They took delight in winding up OP's son and causing him to react. It was nothing to do with the worm.

It is not whether it felt pain or not - the boys could not know it did not and took delight in killing it - that is shit behaviour that should be called out