Teacher Under Investigation For Feeding Puppy To Snapping Turtle

What’s worse is that the Idaho teacher reportedly fed the puppy to the turtle in front of students. The school district released a statement regarding the incident.

By WKBW on March 14, 2018
teacher
(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

A teacher in Idaho is being accused of feeding a puppy to his snapping turtle.

Jill Parrish, a local animal rights activist, filed the police report. She told KSTU:

“What I have learned in the last four days is disgusting. It is sick. It is sick. Allowing children to watch an innocent baby puppy scream because it is being fed to an animal. That is violence. That is not okay.”

According to Parrish, the Preston Junior High teacher Robert Crosland fed a sick, live puppy to his turtle. The incident happened after school hours, but student were apparently in the room when it occurred.

Este Hull, one of the students, said:

“I’ve only heard him feed like mice or birds to his animals… I feel a little bit better that it was a puppy that was going to die, not just a healthy puppy.”

Parent Anne Salveson had the same train of thought:

“If it was a deformed puppy that was going to die anyway, Cros[land] is very much circle of life. If you’re not fine with it, leave the room.”

Another parent, Julie Johnson, also added that Crosland is a great teacher:

“He’s the best science teacher Preston Junior High has.”

The local police department is currently looking into the report:

“We’re investigating the facts and turning it over to the prosecutor. He’s the one who will determine if the law has been broken.”

Crosland is still employed at the school while the investigation takes place with no administrative leave. The Preston School District released this statement:

On March 7, 2018 Preston School District was made aware of a regrettable circumstance involving some of the biological specimens at Preston Jr. High.  The event occurred well after students had been dismissed and was not a part of any school directed program.  We emphasize that at no time was the safety of students or staff compromised.

District administration was made aware of the issue soon after it occurred and immediately began the process of investigation and taking steps to ensure that this type of action could not be repeated.  A part of any investigation includes determining the best course of action once the facts of the matter have been ascertained. This is not a situation that is easy, nor do we feel it is a measure that can be taken lightly. As such we ask for patience while appropriate measures are determined and carried out.

Additional details cannot be shared at this time as the local law enforcement agency is in the process of gathering information.

While the district certainly does not condone individual actions that may violate district policy or reasonable expectations of behavior, we hope that any errors in judgement made by a teacher in this instance will not cause us to forget the years of care, effort, and passion the teacher has given to students in Preston School District.

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