Vancouver schools will allow students to opt out of animal dissections

Vancouver Sun
April 20, 2005

Vancouver - Students will have the right to refuse to dissect animals in science classes under a policy approved Monday by the Vancouver School Board.

Trustees voted unanimously in favour of a policy that requires Vancouver schools to inform students in advance that they have a right to say no to dissections and to provide those students with alternative learning opportunities, using plastic models, videos, books or CD ROMS.

Animal activist Lesley Fox, who brought the issue to the board's attention, said the policy will allow students to talk about their feelings and beliefs and to think about how their choices affect animals.

Vancouver is the first large school district in Canada to adopt such a policy, and Fox said she hopes the decision will encourage young people elsewhere to demand similar rights in their schools. Although most high school students dissect at least one animal, only a small percentage will enter a career that requires such knowledge, Fox added.