How to Support Student Choice

Educators from elementary to university levels are becoming more excited about new technologies and alternative methods of teaching science, biology, and other subjects where live or dead animals have traditionally been used. Yet there are still many who insist on the traditional methods of dissecting dead specimens, and worse. If you are an educator who cares about the welfare of animals and/or you want to guide those students who do not want to participate in dissection and live animal laboratories, you can take action that will benefit students, animals and your school

Offer dissection alternatives to your students. If you are open to using alternatives to dissection in your classroom, then you are already helping animals by decreasing the numbers of animals killed for dissection purposes.

Even if you do not teach science, but feel that dissection and other harmful animal use in your educational facility is unjust, you should voice your concerns to the principal, dean, or university president.

Write a letter of support for the student(s) who may want to pass a student choice policy. Since you are an educator, your opinion will most likely be highly considered, especially if you have used the alternatives and find them cost effective and overall more efficient than wet labs.

If you have a student(s) in your classroom who wants to pass a student choice policy, you can be a valuable asset to that student(s) by providing your opinion and support.

Please use the tabs above to explore this section and view a virtual dissection tutorial, download resources for cost comparisons, studies of student performance, and more.

The Science Bank: Alternatives to Animal Use in Education

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