Respect for Frogs

Letter to Editor

As published in the National Post p. A17, Saturday, January 15, 2005

Re: Let Students Refuse Dissections, Board Told, Jan. 12.

It is noteworthy that when people share their high school dissection experiences, most describe it as traumatic at some level.

This is quite telling, and shows it is not the positive learning experience it is intended to be. Personally, I chose not to take any biology classes solely because of the dissection involved.

Dissection forces people to view animals as objects that can be pulled apart and studied, instead of treated as living, breathing and feeling beings who deserve our respect. We need to learn and express compassion for other species; dissection creates the opposite effect, hardening our feelings.

Dissection should be eliminated from high school curricula altogether. I hope Vancouver will lead the way.

Marianne Verigin, president
Society for Animal Freedom and Equality
Burnaby, B.C.