Virginia students go back to school this year with a new legal mandate to provide alternatives to animal dissection to students who request them.
Earlier this year, the Virginia legislature approved and the governor signed a bill requiring local school boards to create guidelines for providing alternatives to dissection. All students who might be asked to dissect an animal must be notified that they have the option to opt for a non-animal alternative such as a computer program or plastic model.
According to the Associated Press, Virginia is the eighth state to require the offering of such alternatives.
The full text of the new law requiring alternatives to dissection can be read here.
Source:
Virginia requires dissection alternatives.Associated Press, September 6, 2004.