A Rowlett History Teacher Illustrated Lesson on Old West by Lassoing Seventh Graders (Video)

By Eric Nicholson Thu., Feb. 14 2013 at 8:06 AM

It was intended as a creative way of showing seventh grade history students at Schrade Middle School in Rowlett how cowboys would corral wayward steers during cattle drives. But somehow, astonishingly, the teacher's decision to actually lasso his students ended badly.

It went like this, according to a WFAA report from Tuesday: the teacher, who isn't identified, took his students outside, asked for volunteers, then had them run across a field while he tossed a rope around their neck. The parents of one of the kids, unhappy when their son arrived home with bruises around his neck, complained to the school and local TV station, causing the teacher to be suspended.

But now the teacher's supporters are rallying to his defense.

"He didn't pull or anything," another student, Tristan McKissick, told WFAA for a followup story. "He let go when he saw it go around his neck so it wouldn't hurt him."

As proof, Tristan provided a cell phone video he took of the lassoing. It shows about what was described in the original story: a kid running, then being clotheslined by the rope the teacher tosses around his neck.

How this is supposed to help the teacher's case is a bit murky since, regardless of intent, it shows him throwing a goddamned rope around the necks of 13-year-olds. Bad idea.

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bmarvel topcommenter

2 Like

If he didn't brand and castrate them he missed an opportunity.

TheCredibleHulk topcommenter

1 Like

sheeeit. Dint' even hog tie em'.

What's all the noise about? I got bruised up worse than that playing checkers in the seventh grade.

leftocenter

Any of you raised sons? Mine loved to shoot paint ball guns and pellet guns at each other -- their bruises were badges of honor.

The kids that volunteered for this demonstration were enjoying a break from the normal, boring classroom with a teacher who wanted to make school more fun.

Bruises...really...on middle school boys...horrifying! (not)