I just posted on my fears of bringing ferts to school....now I will tell
you about a boy who decided he wanted a ferret: he was a strange child to
say the least; rarely spoke, refused to do his work, or participate in any
way.  He was large for his age, and most of the kids were afraid of him.
He intimidated many of us just by his quiet stare and refusal to go with
the flow.  He was the thorn in our otherwise sublime country school..(where
else can you teach, and be temporarily distracted by an escaped sheep
grazing outside your window, or stop in the middle of the lesson to take
your class outside to watch a cattle drive going down the road directly
in front of the school ?)..sorry, got sidetracked....
 
This ten year old child got all the individual attention we could give him:
His classroom teacher picked him up and took him to church on Sundays.  We
all gave him special *jobs* to make him feel needed and important.  We
tried to validate him in every way.  The parents were approached for help,
but nothing ever changed.  Slowly, I won him over to the point of him
actually speaking to me.  I brought my ferret to school one day when I had
a special ed class (small and intimate setting)/ from that point on, this
child decided he was going to save for his very own ferret.
 
Shortly after this decision was made, a very disturbing and reoccurring
incident left us whispering behind closed doors.  At various intervals
during the day, excrement was found smeared on the boys' bathroom walls.
We have three separate buildings on our campus, and it was found in all
three bathrooms randomly.  A secret *lookout* person was alternately
appointed among the teachers and the janitor.  Yes, we caught him, and
yes, it was this boy.  He had enlisted his brother to do the *dirty work*
also.  Now, my personal mission became one of making sure this emotionally
disturbed individual did NOT purchase a ferret.  He was suspended for a
time, appointments were made AGAIN to place this child in a more
appropriate setting (long story of a kid who slips through the cracks)...
while he continued to tell me he was nearing his goal to purchase a ferret.
My personal mission was to MAKE SURE he didn't accomplish this goal.  I
decided to go to his home and tell the white lies that sometimes God
pretends not to hear: I told his mother that a ferret would be a totally
inappropriate pet for their family.  While not addressing the fact that
this child was emotionally disturbed( I wasn't allowed, and she was in
denial), I told her that ferrets make TERRIBLE pets.  I told her that one
would poop all over her home, and bite all her family members.  I told her
that they get terrible diseases that they can transmit to people, and that
they stunk to high heaven.  I told her they can appear sweet, only to turn
vicious later.  Hey, it was worth a try.  I don't believe that all children
with disabilities should have control over an animal that depends on them
for their very safety.  I had seen this child pull the legs off insects,
then let them go.  I had visions of him putting a ferret in the microwave
and other unmentionable acts that haunted me.  This mother discouraged his
ferret dream, and instead he ended up with goldfish (at my suggestion).  I
heard two months later that he had flushed them down the toilet with glee.
 
I am not sure why I rambled to you with this story.  I think, perhaps, it
is one of the reasons I am so fearful of exposing children to the sweetness
of ferrets.  It ultimately comes down to how responsible and stable the
entire family is.  I'm sorry for this being so long, but I just needed to
share.
 
Lizzi
[Posted in FML issue 2932]