Dissecting frogs and cats — a common assignment for kids in California biology classes — could soon be a thing of the past. A bill from Assemblyman Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, would prohibit animal dissections in K-12 schools, both public and private. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is a strong supporter of the bill. The animal rights organization has documented methods used by companies that supply schools with birds, cats and amphibians for classroom dissections. PETA argues the practice is “miserably cruel.” Cats used for dissection tend to be euthanized animals acquired from shelters; frogs and other amphibians are often gathered in the wild.
Students are already allowed to opt out of such assignments, so why is this going to be a statewide mandate?