My prof i ordering me to dissect....
Posted by BreyettEyes on Sep 12, 2007 · Member since Oct 2006 · 165 posts
and i am soo torn, i know it is folearning purposes t i really don think i can go thugh with it..i aed for different pocedures (comuter program) andhe denied me that....what should i do?
in lecture todayhe was discussing a processof him administering cmicals to an animal.letting it chill for couple days then killing it...i as so disguste and shot him such a look, he caught it...
my grade will suffer if i don't participate......
idk what to do....
please...advice :-\
I can see all points of view on this case. On one hand, the animals are already dead - on the other, you must be true to yourself. I think your note was very diplomatic. You state your reasons and an alternative - which is the correct way to deal with problems. But also be prepared with a plan B if he says no. This is a moral dilemma for many.
I'm not really understanding the "they are already dead" thing some have said. All the meat most of us refuse to eat is from animals that are already dead....and even if someone bought me a hamburger, I wouldn't eat it just because it's been paid for and the cow has already been killed.
When I've refused to dissect I feel like it has made somewhat of an impact, at least I got the knowledge out there that some have a moral issue with it (my biology teacher in high school seemed really surprised by this), so just writing that e-mail was a big step in the right direction. You made your opinion heard. If enough people have a similar belief and voice their opinions about it, maybe computer programs and diagrams will become a more popular option in your school
Well, I went vegan for health and ecological reasons - hence why I don't eat animals or eat/use their by products (except honey). Economically, the market is impacted when people take their money out of it. I have done this. The more people who take their money out, the bigger the impact.
In college, my tuition already paid for all those dead animals ... I had NO choice in where my tuition money was going. So, my impact in refusing dissection makes no sense in economic terms. My choosing to dissect animals doesn't clash with my values because of my reasons for choosing the vegan diet.
Fact is, many colleges already have vegan organizations, animal rights organizations, and many alternatives to dissection. Mine had plenty. Some of my professors could care less.
If it's high school or just an elective - I agree, there is no point to dissection. Or they could always switch to dogs/cats. Those come from high kill shelters, and the animals are not killed for the purpose of dissection.
If it's a class that either makes or breaks your GPA ... well, then, it becomes an issue.
Though, in truth, in the "real world" GPA doesn't matter all that much. The GPA only matters if you want a free ride through a very expensive undergrad and grad education. If you play your cards right ... in grad school, they'll even give you a stipend for food and books. Or GPA matters if you enjoy the challenge of beating everyone else out in terms of grades. ;)
Though, in truth, in the "real world" GPA doesn't matter all that much. The GPA only matters if you want a free ride through a very expensive undergrad and grad education. If you play your cards right ... in grad school, they'll even give you a stipend for food and books. Or GPA matters if you enjoy the challenge of beating everyone else out in terms of grades. ;)
i don't know about the gpa thing. it's a very nice thing to put on resumes (for jobs and grad school) and can qualify you for special programs and paid internships during college. i know you mentioned it would be different if it was a "make or break" thing, but i say take all the points you can. you never know.
also, your prof raises a good point as to whether or not this class is required for your major. i know everyone usually needs undergrad biology credits to graduate, but a lot of colleges offer alternatives. i took an 'environmental biology' class for my undergrad and actually really enjoyed it. a whole lot of field trips and time outside, looking at trees and plants, studying ecosystems, that sort of thing. it's till early in the semester. you might want to see if you can switch to a comparable class, if they offer one.
of course if this is upper division and related to your major, you may have to rethink things. i think colleges are allowed to require you to dissect to rec' full credit. at least that's the last i heard.
I did my first dissesction on a fetal pig in high school, and honestly, I thought the entire experience was worthless. Didn't learn a thing so I agree that high school dissection is unnecessary.
I'm a vegetarian for ecological reasons as well, and dissection doesn't go against my beliefs. Do what floats your boat.
The fewer students that dissect, the fewer animals the school needs. The fewer they need, the fewer they'll buy. For example, if they're buying 300 animals per year, and they notice that every year they have about fifty animals that just rot unused, they'll buy fewer. They're not going to buy animals that they know they won't need just to watch them rot.
Maybe someone already said this.....I didn't have time to read every post, but there are now computer programs that have "virtual disections". I think its pricey, but I think there is a law where some schools had to buy it as an alternative to the real thing. A high school girl here in Asheville protested and ended up being able to use the software and not flunk the course.
i dont think skipping will prove anything...it will only end in her failing the class. but a petition in your school might be an idea...even if it may not help you this time, think of the impact you will have on the other kids in the future and making people stop, think and question!
this link might help...
http://www.dissectionchoice.org/resources.html
i agree w/ little2ant.... i REALLY dont think, legally, he can fail you!!
I agree, I'm assuming this is college, not high school. And not showing up in college just lands you a bad grade and your prof thinking you're a slacker, which is what she's trying to avoid
Talk to your biological chairman. They have programs for virtual dissections nowadays.
I had to dissect a fetal pig AND a 30 lb cat by myself. My cat was about 3x the size of everyone else's and they had partners. It was great to cut out all the muscles and study the veins and organ systems (if you're into that type of anatomy/physiology thing) but I had---molded, decaying flesh and formeldehyde cologne for the rest of the day. I do enjoy dissecting, but unless you're to be a vet it's wasteful and useless. The largest things I'll be dissecting in my career will be cells.
i dont think skipping will prove anything...it will only end in her failing the class. but a petition in your school might be an idea...even if it may not help you this time, think of the impact you will have on the other kids in the future and making people stop, think and question!
this link might help...
http://www.dissectionchoice.org/resources.html
i agree w/ little2ant.... i REALLY dont think, legally, he can fail you!!
Legally.... they can NOT fail you for refusing...See the PETA produced Alicia Silverstone advertisement.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr2wxtwcMWk
Also contact: www.aldf.org
PLEASE email them!!!!!!.....they know the laws for animal rights in EVERY state.....heck....they actually write most of the new "animal friendly" ones.... :)
I'm a med student and so of course dissected humans. Clearly these humans were not killed just for my learning experience! In undergrad biology they don't like to use naturally dead animals because they are concerned about disease transmission. I would think you would be able to learn just as much by using computer simulations and especially by seeking out plastinated specimens. You can ask your professor about this and also check around any other universities nearby and see if they'll let you look at their specimens (explain your reasons of course).
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