State investigates report of raccoons drowned at school

MARION COUNTY, Fla. (WOGX FOX 51) - A teacher in Florida is on paid administrative leave as the Marion County School District and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigate allegations of live animals being killed during class.

“My son joined ag science, because he loves animals not to torture them,” said a parent.

The Forest High School parent we spoke with did not want to be named in this article, but she wants everyone to see the photographs that her son took in his Agriculture Science class on Monday.  The video is too disturbing to show.

“My son stood in the background, hid his phone and watched as they filled these trash cans full of water, and held these raccoons down in trash cans in the cages,” said the parent.

She told us that the raccoon had killed some chickens that the students were raising in class, so according to her son, the teacher trapped them in cages and had students participate in drowning them, under his direction, and ultimately killing them.

“I was disgusted. At first, I was in shock, of course, but I watched the video, and it’s horrific.  It’s disgusting, and I can’t believe it happened at school,” she said.

The parents said they notified Florida Fish and Wildlife who confirmed they are investigating the incident and the legality of what happened. The family has yet to contact the school district.

“We wanted it to get out there, really. We didn’t know if it would get out there if we contacted the school district,” she said.

FOX 51 did contact the Marion County School District.  Officials said they are investigating as well.  “While law enforcement tells us the teacher may not have done anything illegal, his actions before students are certainly questionable,” read a statement. 

The teacher’s final status will be determined once the investigation is complete.