Dissection Alternatives

If you’re in grades kindergarten through 12 and attend public school in the following states, just say “no” to dissection: California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. These states have dissection choice laws or policies in place. Private schools, colleges, and universities are not covered by those laws, but you can still get an alternative. You’ve just got to ask for it the right way (see number 2 below).

You don’t let anyone tell you what to do, so what if your class requires dissection?

1. Find out as early as possible—preferably a few months before the course—what they say you have to do. Investigate: Find out what animals the school uses and who supplies them. You’ll be so angry that you’ll most likely not only exercise your right to refuse to dissect, but also demand that the class stop using animals entirely!

2. Meet with the instructor right away and tell him or her that you cannot participate in the dissection because of your "sincerely held religious and moral beliefs about the sanctity of all life," and ask for a non-animal alternative. These words provide the basis for a possible legal case. (You do not have to support any formal religion; the courts have interpreted a belief that animals should not be killed for classroom dissection to be a religious belief, which schools cannot violate.) Do not offer a detailed explanation, and don’t get into an argument or try to defend your beliefs—you don’t have to. State your position in writing, be calm and polite, and ask for a prompt response. Make it clear that observing other students dissect an animal isn’t an acceptable alternative—it’s indirect participation in the dissection. Keep copies of all correspondence and detailed notes of conversations; take notes during any meetings.

3. Dissection has got to go. It was first introduced into schools in the early part of the last century, and there are now way more advanced ways to learn. Offer to research the alternatives and find those that satisfy the objectives of the course. Show that you’re willing to spend an equivalent amount of time and effort learning the lesson using a humane alternative. A number of organizations loan alternatives, including CD-ROM’s and virtual dissections, to students and schools. The following organizations have extensive lending libraries and will be glad to help you find a suitable alternative and provide you with additional information and suggestions:

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
301-258-3046

National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)
800-888-6287

American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS)
800-729-2287

Ethical Science Education Coalition (ESEC) (The educational branch of the New England Anti-Vivisection Society)
617-523-6020

"Alternatives in Education Database" (Allows keyword searches to identify a wide variety of alternatives)

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (Factsheets)

Animals in Higher Education:
Problems, Alternatives and Recommendations
by Jonathan Balcombe, Ph.D. (An in-depth overview of the entire issue)

4. If you’re still told, "Dissect or fail," proceed up the chain of command. If you’re in pre-college (kindergarten through 12th grade) write to the principal, then the superintendent, and the school board. Ask your parents or guardians to write on your behalf. If you’re in college, write to the department head, then to the dean, and finally to the president.

5. If school officials still think they can violate your rights, try contacting an attorney for assistance. These cases don’t always need to go to court; they can often be settled with just a simple phone call from an attorney. To find an attorney in your area, try doing an online search using one of the services listed below. You can also try calling the service’s toll-free number, but conducting an online search may be more effective:

American Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
541 N. Fairbanks Ct.
Chicago, IL 60611
1-800-285-2221

Lawyers.com*
1-800-526-4902, ext. 5095
salesdev@martindale.com
*Note: This Internet referral service is owned and operated by Martindale-Hubbell. Even though “animal law” is not one of the choices listed, you can type “animal” in the “Legal Term” field to find attorneys who specialize in animal law.

6. Let other students and the community know how the school violates students’ rights and hurts animals. Get everyone on your side! Form a group to demand students’ right to a violence-free education. Write letters to the editor of the school and local newspapers. Contact the campus radio station. Meet with the editorial board of the campus newspaper and ask them to editorialize in favor of students’ right to choose humane alternatives to dissection. Ask the student government to pass a resolution supporting your efforts. Circulate petitions among students, and gather signatures of support. Hold vigils and demonstrations and alert the media about your events (contact PETA for help). For more information about activism, click here.

You can always call PETA for help with your dissection dilemma. We can send you literature and videos, psych you up, and use some PETA know-how and muscle to get your school to see things straight! Call 757-622-7382 to speak to a PETA rep today.

Sample letters:

Letter to instructor (adapt to fit your situation):

Date Name of Instructor Dept. Name School Name Address Dear ______: I am enrolled in [name of class]. I have just learned that all students are required to participate in the dissection of a frog. I will be unable to participate in the dissection because of my sincerely held religious and moral beliefs about the sanctity of all life. Accordingly, I respectfully request that you provide me with an alternative that will not involve my direct or indirect participation in the dissection of any animal that has been killed for the purpose of a classroom dissection or at a slaughterhouse. I would appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, (Your signature) Your name

Letter to the editor of your local paper (adapt for your situation)

Date Letters to the Editor Name of Newspaper Address Dear Editor: Animal dissection, which was first used in classrooms in the early part of last century, is still being used in some [name of school] classes. In recent years, dissection has been increasingly scrutinized. Experts have reevaluated the educational worth and morality of cutting up animals to "see how they work." Compassionate students want to study biology without dissecting animals. Sophisticated computer simulations, videodiscs, and models have been developed to meet the needs of these students. All the studies of this issue show that students who use alternatives perform as well or better than students who use dissection. Biology is the study of life and should teach respect for life, not devalue it by treating living beings as disposable objects. By using humane teaching methods, instructors can teach science and ethics simultaneously. Sincerely, (Your signature) Your name Daytime phone number

Sample Student Choice Policy

1. Alternatives to dissection must be available in all classes for students who choose not to dissect.

2. The responsibility for creating an alternative lies with the teacher, not the student.

3. Requiring the student to watch others dissect an animal is not an alternative; the student must be allowed to leave the room while the dissection is taking place.

4. Students will not be penalized or ostracized in any way for choosing the alternative exercise.

5. A student’s choice to dissect or not to dissect shall be respected by all school faculty, and the student shall be treated in a nonjudgmental manner. A student must feel free to choose an alternative to dissection without fear of being singled our or pressured.

6. All students must be informed in writing of their option to choose not to dissect at the beginning of each semester during which dissection is scheduled, a minimum of three weeks prior to the dissection.

7. Those instructors that still teach dissection in their classes must verbally announce the policy to all students on the first day of the semester and on the day of the dissection.