Dissection is a common practice in many classrooms. Introduced in the 1920's to aid in the study of anatomy, biology, physiology and evolution it is over seventy years old. In both cases the animal is treated as a disposable object, creating insensitivity for the students who chose to participate. Participation in dissection should not be forced upon any student under any circumstances.
All students have the right to decline to dissect .
There are many alternatives available that can easily take the place of an animal in biology classes, models and computer simulations are the two most commonly used. Some schools have policies in place to ensure that students uncomfortable with dissection are provided with other options. There was a study conducted by McCollum in 1998 which concluded that test scores for students selecting alternative exercises were significantly higher than those of students who dissected. If you are a student, teacher or parent who has concerns about dissection please continue on to the next page for more information and contacts. The Current Situation Killing animals for classroom dissection causes animal suffering, cheapens the value of life, and depletes wild animal populations, yet it remains commonplace.