To dissect or not dissect, that is the question

Dose Vancouver's Daily Magazine
Apr 13, 2005
Jennifer Selk
Dose Vancouver

Lesley fox wants local school boards to stop dissection in high schools.

The Vancouver animal activist said she is against forcing students to do animal dissections because “biology is the study of life, not death.” Fox is to address the Vancouver School Board’s Education and Students Services Committee today regarding a Student Choice Policy on dissection.

“Currently, it’s up to the individual teacher or school to decide if a student has to participate in dissection,” Fox told Dose yesterday. “If you have a great teacher — one who’s approachable and open to dialogue — great, but teachers can also give you a hard time. They can fail or penalize you.”

A Student Choice Policy would notify students in advance that they have a choice about dissection. Those who request a non-animal alternative would be provided one, without hassle or jeopardizing their grade.

Fox said virtual dissection is actually more cost effective than the real thing. Less than one per cent of students, she said, go on to a career where the dissection experience will factor into their career.

“We’re talking about high school kids here. The hands-on experience argument is just an excuse,” she said.

Fox said she’s not looking for a total ban on dissection, just an alternative.

“We’re giving another choice to those who want it ... a choice isn’t a choice unless you know you have one.” Animal specimens can cost upwards of $257 each. Alternately, dissection computer program Digital Frog costs $ 8.99.

(An error was made in this article. The virtual dissection program, Digital Frog, is not $8.99 but rather $899. This price is for an unlimited building site license which enables an entire school to run the program on any computer. This CD ROM is much more cost effective because unlike animal specimens, computer programs can be used year after year. Dose is considering running a correction.)