Year 6 (11 year olds) torturing worms

[mollyminniemo]

I know this may look like a rather bizarre thread but I need some other thoughts/ advice. My DS (11) who is a vegetarian and animal lover told me 4 of his friends yesterday stomped on a worm and killed it on purpose. DS was trying to save it on a sports field and they crowded round him to stop him getting a little stick to take it away and into soil away from all the kids. They kept preventing him from doing it and then crowded round and began stomping on the poor worm. Every time DS tried to get back in they’d (I don’t think with much force) use their hockey sticks to bat him away. They all took part in gleefully stamping on the poor worm “untill it was just mush”.
I’m horrified. What would you do?
I can speak to the boys myself as I come into the school at lunchtimes in the week. Or
message the parents? Ask the headmaster to discuss it in an assembly or with them individually?

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!

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.

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

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

No, it really isn’t.

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

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.

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'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

No I wasn’t, quite the opposite actually

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