You have the right not to dissect.
States With Choice Policies
If you’re in grades K-12 and attend public school in California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or Virginia, just say “no.” These states have dissection choice laws and policies that allow you to refuse to participate in classroom exercises—particularly dissections—that are harmful to animals. Additionally, Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Clark County, Nevada; and other towns and counties have adopted student choice policies for their school districts. If you’re unsure whether your school is covered by one of these policies, ask your teacher or administrator, or e-mail peta2@peta2.com.
These laws allow you to choose humane alternatives, require that you are not penalized for choosing these alternatives, and often require your school to notify you and/or your parents at the beginning of a class that involves animal dissection. Click here for details on each law.
For Canadian students, your right to refuse to dissect is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Nova Scotia’s South Shore; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Toronto have passed student choice policies, and school boards in Kelowna and Westbank, British Columbia, are being encouraged to pass student choice policies as well. Please visit FrogsAreCool.com for more information including details of the policies currently in place.
States Without Choice Policies
Student in other states and students in private schools, colleges, and universities are not covered by those laws, but you can still get an alternative. You and your fellow students cannot be forced to participate in something that goes against your sincerely held ethical or religious beliefs. The belief doesn’t have to be a part of any particular organized religion to be considered religious, just something that you strongly believe in and is part of your lifestyle.
School Requirements in the United Kingdom
The dissection of animals is no longer a requirement of any GCSE, A-level, or GNVQ course, nor is it required by the Science National Curriculum. Instead, these exam boards leave it up to the teacher to decide whether or not they set a dissection practical in class. So while your teacher or lecturer may slap on the pressure, they cannot make you dissect. There are alternatives, and it’s your right to use them. For further details on your rights as a student, go here.
Keep in mind that watching is not a suitable alternative—it is indirect participation.
Click here for information on how to assert your right to choose not to dissect or here for specific actions you can take to fight dissection and earn free stuff.
