PETA offers to pay cash-strapped US school cash if it allows anti-dissection ads in schools

[Elyse]

...Seriously?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/peta-offers-pay-cash-strapped-us-district-cash-173820581.html;_ylt=AoFVLU3UYtLjXXB8xs.D_jp1ssB_;_ylu=X3oDMTM5N2N0OHAxBHBrZwM4NzIyZTI5Yy1mZmRkLTMxYzctOTYzZC0zNGZmMjRlMmU0ZWEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhVG9wU3RvcnkEdmVyAzE0NTE1MTkwLTdkYWUtMTFlMC04OWZkLWI1YmM3YjRkMDY1Zg--;_ylg=X3oDMTFjNjVhOWUzBGludGwDY2EEbGFuZwNlbi1jYQRwc3RhaWQDBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

[Kaje]

What I don't ' understand is, if this computer software works so well, why do schools stick to the old " hands on" method anyway?

[persephona]

I never understood why they were doing dissection in primary/high-schools, I really don't think they help anybody. I am very glad we never did that.

However, I disagree with advertising this in schools, it feels a bit inappropriate and I don't think that kids should be exposed to PETA campaigns in their schools!

[Elyse]

Well I dissected a rat in my grade 11 biology, and a sheep's eye in my grade 12 biology.

I think it's good because it gives a hands-on approach instead of all the theory that tends to bore people. It also helps students to understand how a body works and it gives a 'real' approach to it rather than just studying diagrams in a textbook.

[Celestial Echo]

I refused to do dissection in high school.

The software is probably more expensive.

I know when I was in elementary school,

we dissected a cow's eyeball, and it was

free from the local butcher... free is better

to most schools than thousands of dollars.

We are always progressing. Maybe eventually

digital dissection will be in all high schools

[Elyse]

I refused to do dissection in high school.

The software is probably more expensive.

I know when I was in elementary school,

we dissected a cow's eyeball, and it was

free from the local butcher... free is better

to most schools than thousands of dollars.

We are always progressing. Maybe eventually

digital dissection will be in all high schools

Maybe - but I don't think that's a good idea.

What if you want to study to be a vet - which means you'll have to dissect animals in University. If you haven't tried dissection for real in high school, how do you know if you like it or can even stand it? I'd rather be exposed to it in high school, where the course is free, rather than pay for a University course and having a chance of NOT liking it or not being able to stand it.

Dissecting something in 'real life' is a lot different than virtual dissection - in the virtual world you can't feel the way the scalpel cuts into the animal nor can you feel any other dissection procedures which is an important part of deciding if you like it or not, IMO.

[Celestial Echo]

Maybe they should offer it only in honors bio classes where the people who take the class KNOW they are going to be doing a dissection.

They did it in my school for only honors classes where most of the students were going to school for something biology related. I was

never forced to do it, so I am not really that concerned about it. I think alternatives should be offered to students who don't feel that they

can't handle a real dissection. Even if digital dissection is in all schools, it will at least provide for an alternative to the students who feel

morally against dissections, while the people who could benefit from them can still preform the real thing

[Removed #1]

I recall dissecting many things in my high school years...::worm, frog, cow eyeballs (all in biology)::, ~cat, pig fetus (anatomy and physiology)...think that's it. They were however relevant to the classes that I was taking as they were a precursor for a medical program I was interested in starting in college...computer software was offered for the frog, and the teacher for the anatomy class ensured before anyone signed up for that class that they were aware that they would be doing those two particular dissections, and that there was no alternative offered (so if you didn't want to do it...then take a different class)I decided that wasn't the way I wanted to go after the cat...it was gross, and very hands on, and I think perhaps had I had computer software rather than the hands on method it wouldn't have been until college after spending thousands of dollars that I would have realized that was not going to be the field for me (finding out that after a certain point I'd have to actually work with human cadavers also was a huuuge contributing factor).

Essentially anything PETA advocates for I have a rather strong knee jerk reaction to say 'ummmm no'. This is mostly based upon the difference between their actual practices, and the propaganda they put out. If I as a parent want to have my children look into alternative options for classes such as that in school it's my obligation to speak with the school about it, not some agency that clearly has alterer motives looking to get a foothold in schools. In the end...I'd rather have students looking to move towards a medical profession practicing on animals before they come close to doing anything with an actual person...how reassured would you be if you found out your doctor's residency included no hands on work with people or animal anatomy prior to treating you...what about your vet...or a surgeon for people or animals? Is a computer program really going to end up being enough to make sure they have a thorough understanding of what they're doing before they're getting ready to make some sort of incision? Yes those are extreme examples...but PETA itself isn't know for taking a moderate position on anything

Anywho, that's just my two cents