By Y3K
EDUCATIONAL WINTER BREAK ACTIVITIES #2: VISIT MUSEUMS
What could be more fun and educational at the same time than a trip to a museum? There are so many great museums that are entertaining and informative for both kids and adults. Take a trip to the art museum, science museum, children’s museum, or local history museum.
By Y3K
Bad Report Card? What To Do #8: Ask Questions
Sometimes a student tries their best but still receives a poor grade on their report card. Some questions to ask are:
Is the class too large for your student to get the individualized attention they may require?
Could the time of day of the class have an effect on your student? (For example: early morning, before lunch, or after gym)
By Y3K
Bad Report Card? What To Do #6: Don’t Wait
Some skills taught previously are like a foundation that the rest of the school year is built upon. Often teachers assume certain math, writing, or reading skills already covered are known and move forward. If those skills are not learned, some students may get buried. Getting extra help or a tutor may be able to catch up your student before they fall even further behind.
By Y3K
Michigan State Board of Education Policy: Student Options for Animal Dissection Coursework
The Michigan State Board of Education recognizes that a growing number of students have moral, ethical, religious, or other objections to animal dissection and that modern nonanimal teaching methods (e.g., interactive computer software) are available. The State Board of Education also recognizes that these alternative teaching lessons may be more effective and less expensive. Consistent with the recommendations of leading science education organizations, to accommodate these students and create an inclusive learning environment, any K-12 student who objects to dissecting animals or animal parts should be permitted to opt out of dissection activities without fear of reprisal.
School districts should establish a written policy stating that options are available for students who object to dissection activities, and that upon written request, the school will permit a student who objects to dissection activities to demonstrate competency through an alternative method.
Teachers shall provide these students with an alternate project (i.e., completing modules on interactive computer software) that does not involve participating in or observing dissection and through which they can learn and be assessed on the material required by the course. The alternate project should be selected by the teacher and entail a comparable amount of work to the dissection activity.
No student shall be punished or discriminated against based up on his or her decision to opt out of animal dissection activities.
A student who is reluctant to voice his or her concerns about animal use in a particular course, or who thinks these concerns have not received proper attention, may seek assistance from their principal.
By Y3K
The Michigan State Board of Education adopted a dissection-choice policy that allows more than 1.57 million students throughout the state to opt out of classroom animal dissection. Children now have the option of using modern computer software and other humane methods. Michigan joins 21 other states plus the District of Columbia in establishing a policy to allow students to avoid animal dissection. Michigan students can now choose not to dissect without worrying that their grades will suffer or that there will be other repercussions from the teacher.
The policy is important because students who have a moral objection to animal dissection often stay silent and go along with it causing anxiety. This is because they are not presented with a choice or fear being punished for opting out. Michigan was able to make this new policy due to the fact that numerous studies show that advanced computer simulation software helps students learn anatomy even better than old-fashioned animal dissection does.
Tomorrow we will take a closer look at Michigan’s new dissection-choice policy.
By Y3K
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.
By Y3K
As students return to biology classes, many feel anxiety over being forced to dissect animals. If this is an issue for your child, we suggest the following:
1. See if your state protects your right to choose alternatives.
2. After finding out about their rights to opt-out of dissections, have your student talk with their teacher about the curriculum during the first few weeks of school. Have them ask the teacher about any planned dissection labs and if they will use animals and/or offer alternatives.
3. If they do want to opt-out, now is the best time to let teachers know that they will be choosing dissection alternatives so the teacher will have the opportunity to plan accordingly.
By Y3K
The Medical College of Wisconsin announced recently that it has ended all animal use in its medical education programs. This is due to the fact that more students are morally objecting to the use of animals in various dissections. The educational dissection models and computer programs have made it so not only can students opt out of animal dissections, but also entire medical schools can do the same. No animals are now used in any of the medical education curriculum at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
By Y3K
“An Act Concerning Dissection Choice” passed the Connecticut Senate this week with a 34-1 vote and now heads to the Governor’s desk! Connecticut will now join 15 other states and the District of Columbia in guaranteeing students their right opt out of animal dissections and to learn through superior and humane alternatives.
By Y3K
Newton South High School in Newton, MA graduates have run into a major problem in their freshman year of college. Some students have been deemed ineligible to play college Division 1 or Division 2 sports based on courses already taken at Newton South High School. The NCAA, the governing body of collegiate athletics determined that incoming college freshman who had taken certain Curriculum 2 classes from Newton South High School were ineligible to play college sports. Curriculum 2 classes are taught at a slower pace than Curriculum 1 and Honors level classes.
The NCAA decision is part of their effort to ensure that incoming athletes are academically ready for college. What is even more shocking is that many other high schools throughout America also offer Curriculum 2 classes that the NCAA have approved. In fact even Newton North High School’s Curriculum 2 classes are NCAA approved.
The problem with Newton South’s curriculum came to light last summer when the NCAA deemed a graduate who wanted to play baseball at he the University of Massachusetts Amherst ineligible. He had taken some Curriculum 2 classes. Newton South High School is currently appealing the NCAA decision. Since last summer, Newton South has been able to persuade the NCAA to accept Curriculum 2 classes in math and Spanish. English, science and history classes taught at that level are still ineligible and under appeal.
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