Do your kids' teachers know your child is vegan?

[Erin Pavlina]

For those of you with school-aged kids, did you tell the teacher your child was vegan? If so, how did they react and/or handle it?

[Blinky]

I tell my kids' teachers, and they seem to be supportive of our situation. In fact, one of the teachers last year said her mother is vegan. :) She was fun to talk with.

[Teejay]

My child is at Middle School now so she has a team of 3 teachers. I explained it to them all at once. They have been as supportive as possible though they really didn't understand what it was. Most teachers so far have not understood until it was explained, but then have tried to be as cooperative as possible. Sometimes they have even gone out of their way to bring in a vegan treat when they are handing out non-vegan treats to the other kids.

The hardest bit is when it's something not obvious, or not related to food -- e.g. having to do science-related things that are not the way we would treat animals -- if it's an insect, teachers find it hard to understand that you see it as an animal.

But by and large, we have had enormous support. We have seen a real tolerance (on the teachers' part) for diversity and beliefs.

I hope we don't hit a major wall when it comes to dissection in approaching years!

[Erin Pavlina]

Teejay, the National Anti-Vivisection Society has great recommendations for when it comes time for dissection stuff.

We've reprinted some of it on this site. Go to www.vegfamily.com/vegan-teens/index.htm to see the lists.