Should I complain?

[FridgeRaider]

Just had a text from DD at school to say she feels sick because she has just had a cooking lesson where her teacher (who's also her form tutor) forced her to make something where she had to touch raw meat. We are vegetarian, teacher knows this.

I am really cross about this, because having been vegetarian all my life, I know it would make me feel very sick too.

When I was at school (nineties) I was allowed to not participate physically if the lesson involved handling meat, or if in Science, the lesson involved cutting up parts of dead animals.

First point of complaint is to the teacher/form tutor, or to year head if complaint is about that teacher. So should I complain? Or am I and my DD being precious?

gettingalifenow You're right to say it's not a religion, of course, I completely agree with you there. But I know lots of people who are not vegetarian who agree with me, and there are even some on this thread.

I never said it was a health issue, it's a matter of deeply held principles and a way of life that has been going on since the early 1970s in our family, which this very same school was fine with when I was a student there myself.

I don't feel my daughter needs to "learn to cope" with something that is a wholly abnormal activity in our family - there are plenty of vegetarian meat-substitutes that could have been used if the teacher really wanted her to do it, which I would have been happy to provide.

Anyway, this is all rather pointless now - as mentioned up-thread, the situation has been satisfactorily resolved with the school last night.

Also, I have spoken directly to the teacher involved today - she was hugely apologetic, very understanding, tolerant, respectful and perfectly lovely about the whole thing, and we're all friends again now

What exactly was she asked to do? I'm a meat eater but I rarely touch meat when I'm preparing it, only if I'm cutting it into pieces or mixing sausage meat, in which case she could wear rubber/latex gloves.

Your daughter is not Jewish, Muslim or Hindu so it is irrelevant what the school would / would not do.

Your OH eats meat so she must have seen it prepared before.

Saying she will never need to know how to prep / cook meat is limiting her career choices, you would be suprised how many jobs involve cheching if fod is cooked properly, things like nursing or hotel management.

I wouldn't complain, I'd send a letter to the teacher saying you are supplying your daughter with lategloves which she will wear in lessons involving meat.

I cannot believe people are comparing vegetarianism to a religion, that is OTT I think.

OP I'm glad it is all sorted to your satisfaction.

That's good news, Fridgeraider. I think it is very important to address issues with the correct amount of emphasis - especially when the person on the other end is a teacher and tutor who your daughter will be in contact with daily.

Pleased it's sorted to everyone's satisfaction.

sashh - I'm presuming you might feel pretty revolted if I asked you to cook some human flesh. Would it make it all OK if I offered you some latex gloves to wear while you handled it? You have no idea how ridiculous and offensive your suggestion is.