TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

Liberty Goodwin, Director

P.O. Box 40441, Providence, RI 02940

Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org

Website: www.toxicsinfo.org

(Lighting the Way to Less Toxic Living)

IS DISSECTION NECESSARY IN RHODE ISLAND SCHOOLS?

DO KIDS HAVE TO PARTICIPATE? WHY IS THIS A HEALTH/ENVIRONMENT ISSUE?

Did you know that 6,000,000 frogs, fish, reptiles, cats, dogs, mice, rabbits, pigs and others are collected warehoused and killed each year for dissection? Millions of tons of formaldehyde, a potential carcinogen, are dumped into our environment every year.

YOUR CHILD CAN OPT OUT OF DISSECTION

IT”S THE LAW! SEE BELOW.

There are many good alternatives such as videos, plastic models and computer software. Studies show that students who used alternatives did as well or better than students who dissected animals. Alternatives can be used over and over until the lesson is understood. They are less expensive to buy and are even offered on loan from animal protection groups free of charge. Just pay shipping. For more info contact: www.neavs.org/esec, www.hsus.org, www.pcrm.org

Olivia says, “Join the Humane Team

and stand up for animals!”

RHODE ISLAND DISSECTION CHOICE LAW (16-22-20) enacted 1997

What does the law say?

(a) A parent(s) or legal guardian of any student in a public or nonpublic primary or secondary school may refuse to allow their child to dissect or vivisect any vertebrate or invertebrate animal, or any part of a vertebrate or invertebrate animal.

(b) A school that offers dissection or vivisection as a learning activity shall permit those students whose parent(s) or legal guardian refuse to allow them to participate to demonstrate competency through an alternative method of learning the material that would be covered in the activity. Alternative materials and methods may include but not be limited to: video tapes, models, films, books, computer programs, clay modeling or transparencies.

(c) A teacher shall not discriminate against a student for not participating in dissection or vivisection and shall not lower a grade because a student's parent or legal guardian has chosen an alternative education project.