Sunday, September 05, 2004

New Virginia law gives students alternatives to dissecting frogs

The AP has this report on a new Virginia law that requires school divisions "to inform all students they can decline to dissect without penalty, and instructors must provide them with alternative learning tools, including computer programs, Internet tutorials and plastic models." The article quotes someone from PETA as saying, "We believe that dissection in the classroom is an antiquated method of dissection and promotes the widespread abuse of animals."

The article also quotes education officials who were mostly critical of the new law, as another infringement on the prerogatives of teachers. One official said: "I wish I could do that when I had to read Shakespeare or Homer or learn all four verses of the 'Star Spangled Banner,'" which makes me wonder what that guy has against Shakespeare, Homer, and the Star Spangled Banner.

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