From AAVS:

Students in grades K-12 in Vermont will now be able to say “No” to harming animals in order to study life science. The Vermont Dissection Choice Bill (S. 34), which allows students to select a humane alternative to dissection, has been signed into law by the Governor.

Huge kudos to Vermont, along with the other nine states with similar laws. It would be great to see laws like this one passed in all fifty states. Forcing students to perform dissections are not only cruel, it is completely unnecessary. In my post “Dissection” I listed a number of alternatives to dissections, such as using computer models.

I encourage students to refuse to use dissection in their classrooms and to illustrate to their instructors exactly why they refuse this. The American Anti-Vivisection Society can help educate teachers about more humane methods, and PETA2 has done a great job with providing students with resources to be empowered enough to refuse.