Are animals allowed in classrooms?

Question

I know some teachers like to have fish and stuff, but last year my biology teacher had a baby corn snake, a few turtles, some fish, and a bunch of cockroaches. What are the legal limits on having animals in the classroom? I want to be a biology teacher for my career, and I know laws may change by then, but it'd be so awesome to have plants and animals all over the place like he did.

Answer 1

If it's kept contained then yes.

Common pets are:

1. guinea pig

2. hamsters

3. fish

4. gerbals

5. bunny

Answer 2

I don't think there is a standard as to the number of animals allowed in a classroom. I would check with the school district in which I wanted to work and see what their policy is. I imagine that if the animals are a distraction or are dangerous, you might have a problem.

Answer 3

Animals can be brought in by permission as a class project, but usually reserved for K-2 grades and I suppose in a real strange situation a seeing eye dog could be allowed.  Other than that, I think animals are not appropriate for school.  When you start talking legality, however, better resort to school policy.

Answer 4

Well, no but yes. You are allowed to bring maybe like a pet for instance like a bird or dog. You're allowed to bring it in for maybe show and tell though. But not usually.......

Answer 5

Somtimes. The teacher have to senf home forms asking about if students are allregic to anything and all and ask the school staff that has more power or is above him like the principal and ask if they can have it.

Answer 6

Check your building policy. Many schools will allow animals for educational purposes. Check with your building prinicipal to find out what is okay and what isn't.

Answer 7

you can do about anything. I'd make sure they don't have any diseases that are easily transmitted. They must be cared for and, believe me, NOT out of your budget. This would be OUT OF POCKET. I'd keep it simple. You can't have like a baby pig, but, what you could do, if you have FFA, is combine Biology and FFA. Take care of some cattle, chickens, pigs, goats, lambs, etc. nothing better than getting your "feet and hands dirty". AGAIN, feed will come OUT OF POCKET unless you can solicite donations.

Answer 8

It depends on the school policy and the building principal.  We have a science teacher here who has a tarantual in his room and used to have a scorpion.  We have another teacher who has a fish tank in his room.

Answer 9

Legal limits on animals are usually local, so it will depend on what the laws are in your city and what the school's policies are.  I have to tell you, though, that you need to think more about the students' than about your own preferences.  You will keep a number of students from taking the class if you have animals like that in the room.  In high school, I had to choose between chemistry and biology, so I asked the biology teacher if there would ever be any snakes in the room and he said, "No.  Why would there be?"  I took him at his word, and signed up for the class.  One day, there was a big commotion, and it turned out he had brought a snake in a tank of some sort into the room, and it stayed there for the rest of the term.  I was so terrified that I was unable to concentrate in that class for the rest of the semester, and I never forgave him for lying to me.

Answer 10

it will depend on a lot of things.  i teach in a really old school in an inner city where the boiler room basically heats the building up like crazy.  last year one of teacher lost all of her fish from the heat.  

another thing you need to be careful of is student allergy.  i'd say that any animal not kept in an enclosed glass tank should be approved by parents (just sending home a note asking them to list any animal allergies and to sign it usually is enough.).