Big Bad Wolf cleared again at Woodland Elementary East

The Big Bad Wolf has been keeping "defense attorneys" busy for the past 12 years at Woodland Elementary East in Gages Lake.

Those lawyers have been doing a pretty good job at the school's mock trials, because the wolf recently beat yet another murder charge leveled on suspicion he ate two pigs. Lake County Circuit Judge Raymond McKoski presided over the case.

In addition, a jury in Tamara Graham's classroom found Big Bad Wolf not guilty of property destruction. BBW had been accused of knocking down the Three Little Pigs' homes.

Graham said the annual Big Bad Wolf trial for her third-grade class combines lessons learned from a language arts unit on folktales and U.S. government.

"We really concentrate on the judicial system in our government unit," Graham said.

Graham said she and former building principal Joy Swoboda, now Gurnee-based Woodland District 50s superintendent, hit upon the Big Bad Wolf trial idea 12 years ago. McKoski has been the judge for every trial, which is scripted.

Before the trial, the 21 students in Graham's class read the classic version of "The Three Little Pigs" told from the oinkers' point of view. The children also read the story from the wolf's angle.

All of the children had a role in the trial, including defense lawyers, prosecutors, jurors, police, the surviving pig and the wolf.

Prosecutors Kate Swoboda and Samantha Bonilla unsuccessfully tried to convince the jury the wolf had a motive to go after the pigs because he became upset after they teased his grandmother. The surviving pig testified to seeing the wolf eat a ham dinner.

But defense attorneys Tristan Rozwadowski and Kenny Hayes raised questions about police work in the case and the possibility the wolf was framed.

Graham said Big Bad Wolf has been acquitted more often than not in the trial. She said it's rewarding to hear the children discuss the trial long after it's over.