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Original poster

Visit to local hunt kennels facing prosecution by primary school - WWYD

162 replies

Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 09:40

Just that really. We had an email from school on Friday saying that the children would be going on a countryside learning day in 10 days to a nearby estate. Just that, no more info. I looked up the organisation running it over the weekend and they are a charity that promotes countryside sports. As part of the day there was a farm tour which sounded ok, then a gamekeeper tour when they learn about animal traps and pest control, which I am not particularly ok about but it is legal. Final bit was a tour of the kennels. The master and whipper in of this particular hunt are being prosecuted at the moment for illegal hunting and there have been news stories about their questionable animal welfare. This I am unhappy about which I let the school know about and I also contacted the countryside sports charity and said I didn’t think primary school children should visit an organisation being investigated when it would be their staff showing them round.
The school have cancelled the visit (I only asked for them not to do the hunt kennels bit but the organisation said my child would have to stand to one side with a member of their staff) but the chair of governors has written me a letter saying I have spoilt a nice day out.
I am so upset, I feel like some of the parents will blame me for standing up for my convictions but I feel this trip would have been wrong on lots of levels let alone breaking the political impartiality code. Meanwhile we have the National Arborteum on our doorstep and we haven’t done a trip there.

OP posts:
LisaSimpson73 · 10/05/2022 12:45

I'm confused about how you have spoilt a nice day out though op.
You objected, yes but the school could have responded by saying:
We believe it fits out learning outcomes so we're still going, your dd can stay in school if you wish.
Or
We've listened and changed the trip slightly.
Or
Come with us and entertain your daughter whilst we visit the kennels.

They had plenty of other options available but they've cancelled the whole trip and blamed you...why??

Original poster
Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 12:50

@LisaSimpson73 I think they must have realised that it wasn't appropriate? The school never emailed me back, just the Chair of Governors, and she said the school had taken the decision based on the fact that I felt uncomfortable, but that she felt that it was a shame as it would have been a lovely day for the children.
The other governor who rang me this morning said that he had real concerns about the organisation and its funding.

OP posts:
Therunecaster · 10/05/2022 12:51

Good for you. I wouldn't want my kids taken anywhere educational where the hosts are waiting for a criminal trail. The video is awful reinforces my view that people who hunt are cruel.

StarDolphins · 10/05/2022 12:57

@Lakeylady You have absolutely done the right thing. I would’ve done exactly the same. Doesn’t matter if some of the parents aren’t happy(i’m betting there a lot that are though!) let them take their children on a day trip there if they really want to!

i would be seething if my DD School arranged a trip here, I don’t want her to even know about hounds/fox-hunting regardless of the fact they’re being investigated! It’s bad decision making on their part!

HotPenguin · 10/05/2022 12:57

It's totally unacceptable for the governor to blame you for cancelling the trip - it was the school who chose to cancel it, not you.

Roses1221 · 10/05/2022 13:02

Seems totally out of line for the chair of governors to write to you like that. Our chair would have written to you to address your concerns and to see if you were happy with the outcome, they’d have wanted to make sure you were being kept sweet!

Original poster
Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 13:04

@Roses1221 That is what I would have hoped for too.

OP posts:
muppamup · 10/05/2022 13:09

what's the betting all the haters on here are pro blood sports.

saleorbouy · 10/05/2022 13:09

Fox hunting was banned long ago.
"Fox hunting is illegal in England, Scotland and Wales. It is still legal in Northern Ireland. Fox hunting was banned by the Hunting Act 2004 in England and Wales, and the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 in Scotland"
Hunting now involves following a trail left by dragging a scented bag through the hunt grounds so no animal is specifically target for the hunt meetings.
Obviously all dogs chase animals so their is a possibility that an unfortunate animal might get caught but this is not the intention.
I think it's good to be educated about all aspects of life, urban and rural that way you have a better understanding of others peoples environment, way of life, employment etc.
It's a shame the children at the school were unable to experience this, hopefully their parents will take them to the local agricultural show this summer.

Roses1221 · 10/05/2022 13:09

I’d be tempted to take it further to be honest, especially with another governor getting in touch, I wonder if the chair isn’t representative and has an agenda.

Original poster
Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 13:11

@saleorbouy this hunt is currently facing charges of deliberately not chasing a trail, but purposefully hunting foxes.

OP posts:
SirChenjins · 10/05/2022 13:12

You've done the right thing OP. The school could have chosen other activities for the children and it could have responded to your wholly justified complaint in a more productive manner. Instead they've had a 'oh shit' moment and then looked to blame someone else for their ineptitude. It speaks volumes about them that a)they've thought that presenting a sanitised view of hunting to children in order to make it seem like a vital part of country living (it's not) and b)laying a guilt trip on you are both appropriate.

Viviennemary · 10/05/2022 13:17

I would not let my child go. And I would write to the governors and the Local Authority. Not on.

noborisno · 10/05/2022 13:18

Giggorata · 10/05/2022 10:10

You have spoilt a nice day out.
The children would have enjoyed it, it's not like they are going round a slaughterhouse.
Learning about the countryside community and activities is appropriate for children, whether their parent agree with hunting or not. Hunt kennels, country markets and farms are what actually goes on, not just country parks and quaint crafts.

Countryside sports, like it or not, encourage hedgerows, woodland and conservation. Animal trapping and pest control is necessary to grow crops to feed us. Animal husbandry is all about fattening, then killing, animals for food.

The countryside is a working environment, not an amenity. I think the Countryfile programmes on the Beeb have been so sanitised over the last few years that the general public forget this.

There's nothing horrible about what happens to animals in slaughterhouses though so why not go there?

SleepingStandingUp · 10/05/2022 13:21

Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 10:22

They are about to go to court and there is a lot of evidence that they have been illegally hunting. That doesn’t sit happily with me - or the school clearly. I didn’t ask for the school not to go, I asked to pick the two tours that didn’t involve the kennels.

It's totally inappropriate for the chair of governors to lay the blame for a school decision on YOU. Personally I'd be looking at who to escalate a complaint to.

You raised a concern and said can you avoid X. School looked closer and thought meh, maybe not. That was schools choice. Not yours.

pumpkinpie01 · 10/05/2022 13:40

I would have done the same as you op , and the fact that one of the governors called you and agreed with you probably means the rest of the governors were unaware of what was going on with this company or chose to turn a blind eye thinking that no one else would know there was a court case pending .

Original poster
Lakeylady · 10/05/2022 13:41

Thanks everyone this thread is keeping me sane. I keep going over and over it and feeling like I am going mad which doesn’t help when I am trying to work. I was really upset by the governor’s letter, but I felt better when the other governor said what he did as I suspect they were not in agreement. Honestly if you knew me you would think it was mad thinking I was going to stage a single person protest at this event, I am much more likely to be writing down my concerns!

OP posts:
pumpkinpie01 · 10/05/2022 13:44

@Lakeylady you not spending the afternoon making protest banners then 😂 I think it's very inappropriate to have a school trip where there is any court case pending , plenty of other places to visit.

Everydayisabadhairday · 10/05/2022 13:48

I wouldn't want my children going to a hunt kennel. It lends an air of respectability to the whole nasty business of schools start going there Most , if not all hunts are breaking the law.

smallbirdwidesky · 10/05/2022 13:51

SiobhanSharpe · 10/05/2022 10:27

You had legitimate concerns and acted on them; the school clearly took notice of what the day out would include and concluded some parts of it were inappropriate.
The school cancelled the day, not you, and it seems they were right to do so because the organisation running the trip would not allow the school just to cancel the part of the trip that was causing concern
You're right, that smacks of PR and a bit of indoctrination.
As a country dweller, I'm well aware this issue divides rural communities and it appears the 'harmless traditional country sports' brigade have come out in force.

I agree with this. As for ' they are not found guilty yet!' argument, it is perfectly normal to suspend someone/ something pending the outcome of a trial.

OP, ignore the letter from the Governor, they are probably hunting fans and organised the trip so are a bit pissed off.

Bimster · 10/05/2022 13:51

irrespective of one’s views on hunting, it was completely inappropriate for the governor to write that to you. You expressed your views and the school made a decision- absolutely nothing wrong with that.

smallbirdwidesky · 10/05/2022 13:56

saleorbouy · 10/05/2022 13:09

Fox hunting was banned long ago.
"Fox hunting is illegal in England, Scotland and Wales. It is still legal in Northern Ireland. Fox hunting was banned by the Hunting Act 2004 in England and Wales, and the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 in Scotland"
Hunting now involves following a trail left by dragging a scented bag through the hunt grounds so no animal is specifically target for the hunt meetings.
Obviously all dogs chase animals so their is a possibility that an unfortunate animal might get caught but this is not the intention.
I think it's good to be educated about all aspects of life, urban and rural that way you have a better understanding of others peoples environment, way of life, employment etc.
It's a shame the children at the school were unable to experience this, hopefully their parents will take them to the local agricultural show this summer.

There is a lot of illegal hunting going on due to the poor drafting of the law and difficulty of enforcement, not to mention lack of will to enforce.

Bloodhound packs (which existed as drag hunts prior to hunting being banned) which chase a human runner are the way to enjoy hunting without killing wildlife.

Hunts are continuing with fox hounds/ deer hounds, rather than transitioning to be bloodhound packs, so they can continue hunting in the way they always used to.

Feelingoktoday · 10/05/2022 14:34

Your head of governors is an idiot.

carefullycourageous · 10/05/2022 14:40

Well done OP, that is an inappropriate trip for young children. Hunting is extremely divisive and not appropriate for a school trip. The trapping etc is also not appropriate even if legal.

Your Chair of Governors is weird, I am glad you emailed.

MaudieandMe · 10/05/2022 14:51

“Nice day out”

WTF is wrong with you people? At least you now know that the Chair of Governors is a complete twat.

I live rurally and plenty of us strongly dislike hunting and the people who are involved in it. It’s not a sport in any true sense of the word, just thinly disguised animal cruelty.

We recently had a poor fox hound living rough near the main town who got hit by a car and left injured and in obvious pain. The local hunt didn’t want it back and made no attempt to help capture it and so it was left to a lady from the local animal rescue to capture it and get it seen to by a vet. Despicable behaviour but no-one was particularly surprised by their appalling attitude towards one of their animals. They continue to get away with such disgusting behaviour because of having ‘friends’ in high places!