My daughter came home from school this week quite upset that her class had been made to watch Pedigree Dogs Exposed and were told this is how dog breeders have destroyed dogs just to make money. She was then the butt of comments made as her classmates knew we had bred our first litter and despite the fact we kept the pup were challenging her as a money grabber who is cruel to dogs.
This is a child who has trained obedience, done some agility and is  a relatively new junior handler. She spends all her free time following dog pursuits.
Emma waited after class and told her teacher she felt the lesson was biased(brave kid) but still left upset

I was pleased to see the Canine Health pull out in Dog World this week and the article detailing how breeders helped eradicate blindness in Irish Setters before DNA testing by keeping all pups until it was evident who had sight problems and who didn't and selecting the clear dogs that way.

Emma wants to take the article to her Science teacher- Should she or should she just leave it alone now

Although I sit a little on the fence as regards the PDE programme (some valid points were made, even if I don't agree with the sensationalist way they were made), I am shocked that a teacher would use such a program in a science class - such sensationalist programmes (while they may contain some fact), have no place in academic eduction.  I would be making a complaint to the school if it were me.

Edited to add:

This sounds to me like lazy teaching tbh.

Emma actually started well in the discussion by agreeing that some breeds do have problems and that breeding may have accentuated some but was shouted down when suggested that other breeds are very healthy and have no real problems.
It is a strange way of introducing genetics I would have thought and did not really take account of children who may show/breed dogs in their family homes.
I don't have a problem with it being shown if countered well and not biased.
Other children with no involvement in the world of dogs don't understand and it's easy for them to point fingers due to ignorance

I would imagine that the topic the students were studying may have been genetics in some way. They teacher may have thought that using a tv programme like this to demonstrate how genetics works and indeed can be manipulated would catch the students attention and it probably did though maybe not for the right reasons.. In defense of the teacher it would make the point for her lesson however unless she knew the subject ie dogbreeding very well and the questions sourrounding breeding and could give an unbiased opinion as to the programme it was a mistake imo to use such an emotive subject. Something that I dont think teachers always think through. I also think your artcile would have been a much better way of explaining genes using a poitive piece of material to balance an arguement
I think you little girl has alot of spirit and good on her, not sure if it may be better to let the whole thing alone as long as her fellow class mates drop the subjet two and dont continue to "bully " regarding her interests.

I would watch the situation for a coupole of days before doing anything.
Btw I teacher secondary students and regulaly use tv programmes and real life examples relative to the students everyday lives to make a point  but hope I would manage the situation better than this and not make this kind of mistake. 

Thanks Furriefriends- My husband also teaches secondary school kids and also uses programmes but not sensationalised ones and is careful  with what he picks. He also thinks she should leave it alone which I am talking with her about but at almost 14 years old she is passionate about injustice being done and wants to show the teacher!! A weekend breather will probably help. The funny thing is due to the dogs Emma already has a strong interest in genetics and how mating certain characteristics work I am sure the teacher will pick this up and they will get on fine. Just a shame so soon in the new school year for her to want to go head to head like this. She is normally a quiet, reserved girl but has the bit between her teeth on this one. It's nice to see the passion but she maybe needs to let it go for now

> Emma wants to take the article to her Science teacher- Should she or should she just leave it alone now

I would definitely let her take it & point out the improvements made by the testing that is already being done-well in advance of the PDE program(the hip results for starters-disproving what the vet said on PDE about the hips in GSDs getting worse they are actually improving(& the tested dogs are mainly International type-not the English type that some people think of as more"workmanlike")

> been made to watch Pedigree Dogs Exposed and were told this is how dog breeders have destroyed dogs just to make money

This is not teaching, it is preaching a one-sided argument and has no place in schools. Showing the programme to students and discussing the points of the programme is one thing but to sum up the show by stating 'this is how dog breeders have destroyed dogs' is absolutely shocking. There is no way I would let that drop, how many other lessons are being taught in such a manner???
Teaching is about conveying facts, teaching children how to evaluate facts and opinions not about ramming an opinion down thier throats. Dog breeders are the people who have CREATED dogs as we know them. It sounds as if the 'lesson' was ill thought out and will only serve to give the wrong impression and cause people to be anti-pedigree dogs.
Faults occur in nature and of course will be brought to light quicker in dogs than people (due to the quicker 'turn over' of generations) or than naturally occuring species in the wild (do to natural selection & survival of the fittest where the weaker/inadequate animal will perish & therefore ot be able to pass on it's genes). As we know there are 'breeders' that have no care for the dogs they produce, but that is not to say that all breeders do.

I would support my child fully in them taking this further and questioning the teacher & head teacher as to what they were trying to achieve by by thier summery on such an emotive subject that has massive potential for discrimination againt any child coming from a family that owns/breeds/shows pure-bred dogs.

Throught my A-level in biology we were never 'taught' in such a way - facts are what count in genetics and exaples given in a balanced way

Good on your daughter for feeling so strongly, but even more so to have the inteligence and maturity to question what is being 'taught' to her. I bet your proud of her :)

ETA I am sure that any student submitting an essay as one-sided as PDE wuld be marked down for not stating that it is discussing the extreme example and for leaving out the fact that there are plenty of breeders that are doing much good for dog breeding.

Sounds like a lovely girl and it is difficult when you are passionate about something. I am a dinosaur in comparison to your daughter and now find I have to avoid certain subjects with the students and listen but bite my tongue especially when it involves animals. Have nearly got into some unproffesional discussions with students about breeding dogs and encouraging agression in certain types of dogs. so if can fully understand why someone of her age feels quite rightly that an injustice has been done and she needs to defend her views and hopefully convert others. Maybe if the scinece teacher is worth her salt as a teacher a nice dicussion at a suitable point  may gain respect from the teacher I do hope so.

I think she can take in the article she has and maybe ask if her teacher would like to read it to see the other side of the story so to speak and hopefully put across that both sides are important to look at.
We have had a calm discussion about how she could write about this by giving argument and counter argument and pros and cons from both sides and how this would form a very good well thought out answer if ever asked to do this type of writing as an essay etc.

Plus points - She can now recognise biased information and search for a counter argument.
I guess if you are not from a dog background you wouldn't understand the frustration/passion and I am sure it was poorly thought through rather than nasty.

She has shown she has a strong belief in fairness and a whole picture being presented fully and for the second time recently has really stood up for something she believes in.

I am proud of her mastifflover as she is the quieter of my two and will sit back and watch taking things in. I used to worry she was shy then I got to quietly confident but now I would have to say when she speaks up it's time to listen as she will have thought it through and checked her facts.

> Should she or should she just leave it alone now

she should indeed and if i were you i'd be complaining to the school

I'm with Astarte here for sure. My 14 year old daughter keep getting told by her friends in school that she is cruel as she goes to shows (in particular Crufts) -we don't need this to spread via teachers, there has to be some balance. This teacher could have got a good discussion out of it by comparing good breeders and bad breeders and explaining the difference.

> she is passionate about injustice being done and wants to show the teacher!!

Personal opinions aside on the actual program, if she has the knowledge, the passion and the inititive to go to the teacher then I think at her age she should be allowed.  Maybe she could ask to give a short presentation on the positives of breeding and genetics.  Even if the teacher does not allow it, they will take note of her initiative and her interest in the subject manner.

> keep getting told by her friends in school that she is cruel as she goes to shows (in particular Crufts)

friends??

oh how glad i am that happy phase of childhood is passed for me...

That is a great idea Lunamoona and one I think she would enjoy.

I think parents evening will be interesting for you. But i agree a presentation of your own breedings and maybe a price list of how much was spent to combat you 'ruining dogs to make money'

I would be seriously contacting the education department and putting in a complaint. Suppose your daughter gets bullied at school because of this? I think you must watch events closely incase some pupils take this further than name calling. How very stupid of that teacher. Is she a probationary teacher? If so a complaint will extend her probabtionary period, so that she learns that she must consider the consequences of introducing a largely non scientific tv programme into a classroom of children with out giving a proper scientific view of the topic showing both sides of the programme.

Perhaps you could speak to the head teacher as well and say you would like to speak to the class to explain that while not everything goes as planned in breeding a lot is being done and was being done before PDE came out.

I knew PDE would cause trouble, and the makers did not consider the full consequences of it being broadcast in the form it was. I realised it would cause everyone good and bad breeders alike a lot of trouble and that it would spread to all levels and all ages and why I am not a supporter of the programme. It was too one sided, unfortunately many people believe what they see in the papers and on TV, only a few would ever do the research for themselves and see that things are being done. Had it had more balance then it would have still carried the same impact, and would have had most peoples support.

Emma is going to prepare a powerpoint on Pedigree Dogs - The Other Story and ask to present it to her class and her teacher.
That way both sides are heard and she gets to talk about something she cares passionately about. It will be a credible presentation which will acknowldege some of the problems that exist as PDE did but will focus on the good work carried out by many breeders over the years and how they managed to eradicate or reduce medical issues before DNA testing could identify the dogs easily.
To be honest I won't complain about the teacher but yes I think a quiet chat at parents night is likely just to draw attention in case she plans the same lesson with another group.

I doubt very much the school will allow her to show it , that was certainly the response my godson got from his School and College when he tried to show the truth about XYY syndrome males not being murderer's and rapists! 

Their answer was you are a child you know nothing about these things and its in the curriculum so we will teach it the way the government tell us.  They weren't too happy when they found out his mother was the International Co-ordinator for XYY's with Unique the rare Chromosonal Anomaly charity or that he had personal experience of the effects at the extreme of XYY as his brother was affected!  They still didn't allow him or his mother to redress the balance!

I'm with Polly at the very least a teacher should not single out a pupil/student in a manner that puts them at risk of bullying which appears to be the case here, as a parent I would most definitely be complaining the the headteacher if not the LEA.

Just wanted to say you should be very proud of Emma :)

> Just wanted to say you should be very proud of Emma :-)

I totally agree, it is very brave of her to try to show the balance to this highly biased programme. I really hope she gets her chance and is not banned from speaking to the classes at her school.

I would still even if she is allowed to speak about it complain to the local LEA as I know how kids behave having worked for many years in schools prior to working for Our Dogs. Silly I know but I do worry she might end up being a target for ignorant bullies.

> Emma is going to prepare a powerpoint on Pedigree Dogs - The Other Story and ask to present it to her class and her teacher.
> That way both sides are heard and she gets to talk about something she cares passionately about

An excellent idea. If the teacher does not allow her to do it then perhaps that is the time for you to intervene! Well done to Emma for standing up for something she believes in.

Might be worth contacting the Kennel Club in order to use their presentation videos that were on-line after the program aired.

Thanks I will x

I work at a secondary school and i know we have had parents write in and complain about particular resources used in some lessons by some teachers. You would be quite justified to write to the school explaining how you thought the lesson was unfairly biased, wasnt a great example of the lesson objective and how it has put your daughter in a difficult position amongst her peers when they know she is involved in the dog world. It may be a case that a science teacher has made a mistake and not picked a great video to use as an example, in which case somebody in a higher position at the school needs to speak to them and recommend something better to teach the module.
:-)

I hope you will let us know how things go. Whether they will let your daughter give an alternative view to that programme.

She has taken all her information in today and has been busy gathering facts. I will let you know the outcome

My 14 yr old son is doing genetics in science at the moment.  He was very upset yesterday when the homework required him to write a piece about 'what he has inherited from his parents'.  Not all families are created in the same way and I feel very strongly that teachers should be more careful when presenting topics like these.

Sounds like your school needs a bit of extra training too. 

My son has banned me from speaking to his teacher - he says he'll handle that - but I may just write to remind the head teacher of the impact sessions like this can have on some of their students.  They ought to allow a 'let out' by presenting a slightly different angle to the homework topic and let the students choose which question to answer.  There is no reason why the 'learning' won't be the same - it's just the method which changes.

Good luck to Emma, I'm sorry she was so upset by her lesson.

This would have been a problem for my son's as they hadn't had any contact since the age of 5 & 3 with their biological Dad!!

My niece and nephew's have spent a life time explaining that whilst their Dad is white they are dark skinned but that does not make them adopted!! It was Mum with the colour!

Mine used to get asked if they were adopted because i had remarried and we have different names, that caused problems with one trip to NZ with Sam still on my passport. He had his own passport soon after!! we got pulled aside for hours whilst they checked I was not illegally bringing him into NZ - nightmare.

> My niece and nephew's have spent a life time explaining that whilst their Dad is white they are dark skinned but that does not make them adopted!! It was Mum with the colour!
>

The colour thing is interesting. My three daughters are all very different. I am white so are my parents and grandparents. The same applies to my ex husband, so daughter number 1 is so fair skinned it is milky white and she has blond hair. Daughter number 2 is slightly darker skinned and has brown/reddish hair. Daughter number 3 is dark skinned, with grey eyes and dark brown hair, which was snowy white lighter than Boris Johnsons until she reached 5 years of age. lol I am often asked if they are half sisters which they are not they are full sisters. Research has not shown up any dark skinned people in the family over many many generations, (both sides of the family have been researched back to the early 1700's) so we have no idea where this dark skin colour has come from.

Yes its also funny how we change, I was white haired when born so was brother No.2. no 3 had black curly hair. We all ended up the same very dark brown with a red tint.

All 3 of Kev's have very very dark brown with a red tint. Katie's husband is Indian all three of her children are very very dark brown(but not black) with a red tint. Her OH is black haired. All children of Kev's and Katies have brown eyes.

My two have the dark brown hair but no red tint!! My OH was white with blue eyes and black hair. Both boys have my grey eyes. No.2 brother was green eyed! brother No 3 hazel eye's.

Genetics is really interesting. Kev's eldest (son's)  daughter is a blue eyed blonde the same as her mother. Terry is dark with brown eyes. New baby on the way we are all awaiting to see what "he" looks like.

When I was little my cousing Ed was born in Singapore, I remeber being so upset that he was pink and blonde and not black with slanted eyes!!!  I was about 9 when he was born they all teased me that he would be Chinese!! I believed them! (Uncles and Aunties) there second son is black haired with brown eyes!

In the paper a while ago twins 1 white and 1 black!

I used to know a couple who had 5 boys in the space of around 7 years ( ).

Dad had light sandy hair with hazel eyes and Mum had mousy hair and grey eyes. The boys ranged from white blond with blue eyes to ginger hair with green eyes and dark hair and dark eyes.  A very good looking family and quite well behaved considering the circumstances ;-)