The Lawrence Public School District rented goats for Langston Hughes Elementary School to eat grass from Aug. 29 to Sept. 20. Langston Hughes Principal Jackie Mickel said neighbors were worried that the goats would cause a safety concern from overgrown grass without the goats, potentially causing a fire hazard.

Since the goats’ arrival, Langston Hughes librarian Jenny Williams said that she has incorporated them into her lesson plans. The goats are still there, and Williams taught lessons about the importance of caring for the animals with the goats.

“My favorite part was taking the kids out as part of one of our library lessons,” Williams said.

Similarly, Mickle has brought students out to the fields to visit the goats, but she reminds them of the portable electric fence stationed around the grassland, as it was a concern brought up by families living around the neighborhood.

“[Concerned neighbors] now appreciating the effort the school district is taking to keep the brush down, but it is so much more fun to see the goats out there working,” Mickle said.

Elizabeth Ricklefs, who lives near the school, said that she raised safety concerns when the goats arrived, but she said that it seems the neighbours have adjusted. As time has gone on, Ricklefs said that the neighbors have realized how harmless the goats are and how good they are at eating the grass and keeping it healthy.

“The only concern I have for the goats is if they got out or if someone tried to harm them.

Although there were concerns in the beginning, Ricklefs said the goats have helped bring the community together.

Ricklefs said that she believes the goats have brought more people from the community to the school and have sparked an interest in animals. Williams said that the school has done a great job communicating the importance of safety when visiting the animals or when approaching the electric fence.

“We stressed the importance of safety because there is a portable electric fence,” Williams said.

Williams said that the school has stressed safety and following directions because it can be a safety concern. Ricklefs said that the goats may have gathered some publicity and require extra rules, but they have done their job of eating the grass promptly with great progress.

“Adding the goats was a great idea, and they are doing their job well,” Ricklefs said.