Frog Trauma: Should Dissection be a Choice?
April 30, 2010 | Natalie
Could You Do It?
Twenty-two dissections. That’s the number I was given by my science teacher at the beginning of my nine week Comparative Biology class. Twenty-two worms, squids, clams, frogs, scorpions, and who knows what. The purpose, I was assured, was to compare the organisms from an evolutionary standpoint. From someone who hasn’t taken a Biology class in four years – barely remembering that one frog I sliced open – the calendar in the coming months seemed a little daunting.
I’ve always told people I’m not that squeamish when it comes to dissecting organisms, and it’s true. I can suck it up and deal with the guts, cut the skin, prod around. But I’m consistently reminded of how sick some of my classmates can get from dissection. Many schools now offer online dissection as an alternative, but in my high school you can only do online dissection for a required class. Comparative Biology is loosely considered an elective, therefore, dissections are mandatory.
When I started researching for this blog, I planned on finding some tips for students who can’t stomach literal dissections. But my attitude towards dissection is shifting as I type. When typing keywords such as ‘dissection’ ‘tips’ and ‘squeamish’ into search engines, a plethora of online dissection pages pop up. Even if I specify NOT online, pages simply read “not for the squeamish” or PETA activists’ news headlines the list. Nothing on how to get past the nausea and get the scalpel out.
So I’ve indirectly been led to a new question: should high schools still use dissection as an educational tool?
The Humane Society of the United States is fighting against dissection. According to one of their articles, “an estimated six million cats, dogs, frogs and other animals are killed each year for dissections. Many frogs are believed to come from the wild, hurting not only the animals used for dissection but also depleting frog populations.”
Many students have been standing up for their right of choice, starting as early as Junior High. Laurie Wolff petitioned her district after refusing to dissect an earthworm in her sixth grade class, and two years later convinced the sixth largest school district in the nation to give students a choice when it came to dissection.
Other high school students have faced a similar problem. Often it comes down to dissection or a failing grade.
Online dissection is becoming increasingly popular every year especially as students become more aware of it. And it actually turns out to be more cost-effective (frogs are expensive – not CD ROMs). Schools have the option to use alternative methods, if they’re not utilizing it – stand up for your beliefs. Dissection doesn’t have to equal the most comprehensive science education. In fact, in countries such as Norway Argentina, and Switzerland, dissection is banned below a University level.
What do you think about dissection in high school? Should it be a requirement or should there be alternatives?
