Last week the New Hampshire Board of Education approved a policy supporting the right of all K-12 students to choose alternatives to traditional animal dissection without being penalized. New Hampshire Board of Education determined that students deserve a right to a science education without compromising personal beliefs on hurting animals. They also decided that biology students learn as well or better with alternatives that do not involve once living animals.

The policy stresses that New Hampshire schools should make equal or better non-animal alternatives like computer simulations available to any student who does not want to dissect frogs, cats, or any other animal. New Hampshire’s Board of Education cannot mandate individual school policies by law, but can issue recommended sample policies like this for schools to adopt.

With New Hampshire creating this policy, there are now 17 states plus Washington, DC that protect a student’s right to choose a cruelty-free education.