For those of you who've been familiar with peta2 for a while, you likely remember our Star Street Teamer awards. Well, we're bringing the award back with 17-year-old Kayla Gaspard from Oakdale, California (that's Kayla to the right modeling her tee with her bunny Boo Boo). Why Kayla? Not only is she selling her own "I'd rather go bare than wear hare" tee design on Cafepress, she's also using 100% of the profits from the sales to purchase dissection alternatives for her school district. Awesome, right? Check out what Kayla has to say in my Q&A with her below, then see how you can win a tee of your own (though, of course, please be sure to support Kayla's efforts here).
Tell me about your project.
By selling shirts and other items offered by CafePress with graphic artwork I designed myself, I am raising money to purchase alternative dissection software for all the science departments in my school district. 100% of the profits made from the sales of the items will go directly towards purchasing the software programs. After struggling to find alternative lab resources for myself to morally abstain from the feline dissection in my anatomy class, I decided to leave the school district with the resources that they needed to provide future students wishing to use humane alternatives all the materials they would need. I am also applying for the DOSOMETHING awards and using my fundraiser as the project to apply for the award.
You found a great way to combine two issues that are important to you—fur and dissection. Why are you so passionate about these two issues?
I have always loved animals of every kind. Three years ago, I adopted a Netherland Dwarf bunny from a family whose children were no longer interested in keeping him. He is the sweetest, cuddliest little ball of fluff and completely docile. It sickens me to think that anyone would want to torture and kill an animal for fur or for scientific purposes. I am planning on attending college in the fall of this year and will be pursuing a PHD in genetics and cell biology. I could not walk across the stage on High School graduation day and accept a diploma that I would have earned by cutting up an innocent kitty. I would never be able to look at that milestone with any sense of pride if I did not defend and stand up for my convictions.
Do you have a favorite vegetarian dish?
Wow, where do I start! I love food! My favorite vegetarian dish is a Thai dessert called Kow Neuw Mamuang, or in English, Mango with sticky rice. It sounds plain, but the jasmine rice is soaked in coconut milk and is the perfect end to any meal. My favorite veg dinner is the "chick'n" nuggets recipe in the vegetarian starter kit. YUM! I make a vegetarian buffalo wing sauce to go with it and recommend them to any new vegetarians who may be struggling to find filling meal choices that don't include animals.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to play with my bunny Boo Boo, draw, paint, and play guitar. I also love to snowboard in the winter and wakeboard in the summer time. I especially loved stumbling upon a peta2 Street Team member that approached me at the Van's Warped Tour in San Francisco in 2008 who asked me if I would like to help end the torture of pigs in slaughterhouses and of course I said I would! I am proud to see PETA at those type of events and hope to get to be involved with organizing and working at booths while I am in college.
What is your advice to other students like you who don't want to dissect, but don't know what to do?
Just do what I did, get educated on the topic. I went to the internet and came straight to PETA. I posted my dilemma on a message board and immediately got replies with great information. PETA provided links to websites, as well as respectful responses to objections from reluctant teachers. I recommend being honest and respectful when requesting an alternative. Not all states treat students' rights equally. I am lucky to live in a state that requires teachers to respect my moral objections. The biggest obstacle I faced with my teacher was earning her respect, because so many students during her 20 years of teaching had abused the right to morally abstain from the labs because they were lazy, not because they were against animal dissection.
Well said, Kayla!
For your chance to win one of three "I'd rather go bare than wear hare" tees, comment below with why you think every science classroom should have dissection alternatives available to students. Entries must be received by March 13th. The three most persuasive comments will be chosen and winners will be notified by March 20th.
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Good luck!
♥ 
I believe it is wrong to teach animal cruelty by useing real animals for dissection. In these days of advanced technology students should not be made to put their ethics or morals on the line.I believe if we start a new way of teaching without the real animal dissections, then students will learn a whole new way. I think the virtual computer dissection programs are a great alternative for one. If I would win one of the T-shirts, I would feel proud to support the cause and all the hard work the young lady has put into this job.
Some of my friends and I are currently trying to get signatures so we can try to get an alternative in our school so we won't have to dissect. In our school they choose to disect worms, frogs, cats, and even rats. I think it's pretty wrong and general and we shouldn't do that. I'm sure they wouldn't like it if they were born just to be killed and dissected later. Not only is dissecting disturbing, but I think it is teaching kids the wrong lesson. I know one of my cousins friends who dissected a cat in his one science class and then a week later he tried doing it to his own cat. Seriously, how messed up is that? I think if we try to cut out dissection school by school, it will spread to other districts, then to other states, then finally to other countries. I just hope the world is ready for what we have to offer.
Dissection is a disgusting and outdated alternative to an education! how can people learn about life by death and killing! It's wrong. There shouldn't need to be alternatives to students for dissection because dissection should just be made illegal to began with. It is legal animal abuse.
The other day, the anatomy & physiology kids were dissecting cats. One of the cats was pregnant. They claim that all the animals died of natural causes, but for that cat to die with all those babies in that condition? I don't think so. They are killing cats for something that is already drawn out that a person could study from. If the students find dead cats on the side of the road (
) then by all means they should go ahead and look at the guts and whatnot. But to kill an innocent cat just so you can get a grade that won't matter in a few weeks? I don't think so. There should be no dissection.
Period.
-P.S. I also ran around school screaming "CUT CLASS! NOT CATS!"
i think dissection is just horrible. back in 7th grade i was froce to dissect a frog just because "the school board said it was important" that was incredibly ridiculous. Why cant all schools just use virtual dissection. you learn just as much without hurting a animal or your morals.
I find it absolutely ridiculous how dissection is still happening regularly in high schools. The piglets used aren't just a side effect from random pregnant sows at slaughterhouses – these sows were purposefully inseminated against their will so that when they are killed, the slaughterhouse will also have pig fetuses to sell. And with other animals used in dissection/experiments such as cats and dogs, it is common practice to buy them in bulk from run-down shelters or just steal them off the street. These animals are then transported in very crowded conditions with no supplies (after all, why feed and water them if they are just going to be murdered anyways?) before being embalmed. By "embalmed" I mean being injected with formadelhyde often while still alive. Formadelhyde is a carcinogenic and it is very hard to dispose of properly. These industries that use it are contributing to massive environmental damage. And at the end of it all, aren't these biology classes supposed to be teaching kids to respect nature and to see how SIMILAR we are to these animals? Instead, it teaches that animals are objects for us to mutilate and that it is ok to use all these resources for something so silly while the planet wastes away. The computer programs are such a great alternative because they provide a realistic look inside these wonderful animals without causing any harm to them, to us and to the environment.
i'm in biology as one of my classes for school right now and sadly dissection is one of the main things for learning stuff. as much as i love learning about our bodies and want to go into a medical field myself, i don't want to do it at the expense of another mammal. i'm the only vegetarian in my class and the fact that i could fail or get a no mark just because i have a different belief is wrong to me. what happened to living in a free country? i believe that nowadays people make video games that are so detailed and fun to do that doing a dissection on the computer can't be as bad either. you still learn the same things, just not actually touching and forcing animals somewhere to give up their life just for science. all schools should have a dissection alternative because just like some people like dissection, others don't and would rather not, but the fact that you lose your grade can change people's opinions. its not fair to say, you do something against you beliefs or you fail.
i don't believe that schools will personally ban dissection, because some schools believe they get their animals for humane places or places where the animal died naturally, but every school should at least offer a dissection alternative. we are at the time of age where we are so technologically advanced that i think people would actually buy a dissection game if they were serious about entering medical fields. over the years we have tested and destroyed animals so much that the least we can offer is a dissection alternative. money has become the center of the world to most places, so why not use a little bit of money for a good cause? people always raise money for disease causes, so why can't we for dissection rights? a cause doesn't have to be based souly on humans to be considered a "good" a cause, so be different and fight for a dissection alternative.
we have fought for our freedom as mankind, so fight for animals who can't voice or fight for theirs.
cute bunny .
I believe that disection should be stopped because killing for the only reason of science is just down right unholy. Even if people eat meat, i dont think they realize what the animals go through. In biology we had to disect a baby pig fetis. my teacher made the excuse that the animals died at birth but some where so big u could tell it wasnt natural. And i honestly didnt learn a thing from it. it would be just as helpful to have a virtual dissection on the computer.
I am a 12 year old girl in the 7th grade. My science class recently did a frog dissection. I politely told my teacher that I would not do the dissection, and not only did I make the highest grade in my class, but I saved a frog. In place of the real dissection, I used a computer program that we were so fourtunate to have "lying around". I, of course, was the only one to use a computer program, for I am one out of the two vegetarians in my school. This sort of thing goes completely against my morals and I would feel as ashamed of myself as I do the other students for using this cruel, and unessecary method for learning's sake. I suggest that everyone use this computer program. I am now able to label every part of the frog, and I am extremely proud of myself. I do fear, though, the upcoming dissections in high school. I'm afraid that I might be required to take an F for not completing this lab. Don't let that fool you, though. I will not let it bring me down, considering I'm a straight A student, and I will do something about it. I hope to change the scary, and cruel methods of dissection in my school district. Thinking about how many innocent animals were born and raised, or captured, for dissection (or any other type of use) makes me feel defeated, though I know it's not my fault. It also makes me think about how many other people are feeling the same way I do. It's not a good feeling.
Stop dissection.
dissections have been around forever – I say use cadavers instead.
School is supposed to teach us to be responsible, productive citizens of the world. Dissection is harmful to animals, students, and the environment. It is socially and environmentally irresponsible, and it is a health hazard.
Using alternatives to dissection sets a great example to students of how it is possible to be a conscientious citizen without sacrificing education.
First of all, Biology is the study of life. For me, the study of topics like Biology and Anatomy are fascinating. I think its amazing how all these little pieces fit together and work how they're suppose to and maintain life. But thats the key, to maintain life. I want to learn how my body (and my furry friend's!) works, to help better maintain life. So that being said it makes no sense for me to kill, (or boost the supply and demand to kill) a living creature to study life.
There are so many other options. You don't need to kill to learn.
Heya!
Firstly I'd like to say that this is really awesome!! These shirts look like an amazing idea!
Ok, so..
I think that EVERY Science classroom should have alternatives available to their students because it is time that EVERYONE started realizing that killing animals is wrong ESPECIALLY for such unneccessary reasons when there are ALTERNATIVES!!
I believe that ALL students should have a choice on how they learn, and it shouldn't have to involve cutting up dead animals!
Nobody else has to do things against their beliefs for school, so why should animal rights activists… or simply anyone else who knows that it is wrong?
Heya!
Firstly I'd like to say that this is really awesome!! These shirts look like an amazing idea!
Ok, so..
I think that EVERY Science classroom should have alternatives available to their students because it is time that EVERYONE started realizing that killing animals is wrong ESPECIALLY for such unneccessary reasons when there are ALTERNATIVES!!
I believe that ALL students should have a choice on how they learn, and it shouldn't have to involve cutting up dead animals!
Nobody else has to do things against their beliefs for school, so why should animal rights activists… or simply anyone else who knows that it is wrong?
<3 Beccah Melecka
great contests guys sign me up, we love green products
i just wanna say what your doing for your community is amazing, inspirational.
to me, i believe that every school should have alternatives for students who do not wish to dissect animals. schools teach us about having our rights and that we have responsiblity, but yet their making us dissect animals! its hypocritical to me! every student has a choice on how they want to learn and if they dont want to cut up an animal, they shouldnt have to!
school boards need to realize that dissecting animals is wrong, and to make a kid who has differnt beliefs on it, is wrong! we have the alternatives so why dont they put it in the schools?
hopefully by more people speaking out on this topic, all the schools will ban dissecting for good
i love animals and i tink it is good to help them becouse some can not take care of them selfs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is true
So many people have already disected animals that we are very aware of there internal organs and bones and other things students study during disection. When your in med school studying to become a surgon they do not kill random innocent or homeless people for that matter just to study. (MOST ANIMALS USED DURING DISECTION ARE FROM SHELTERS AND DO NOT HAVE A HOME OT FAMILY,THAT WOULD BE THE SAME AS KILLING PEOPLE IN HOMELESS SHELTERS JUST TO STUDY THEM)I remember in one of my science books towards the back they had these see through plastic diagrams of both human and frogs bodys it had different layers of each and in the different layers the muscle,organs,bones,tissue and such were shown. They were also interactive so you could use dry erase markers and draw on them. That is a very good alternative. Also if schools are willing to offer alteratives then that just shows it is not necsary tto even disect the animals in the first place. To be honest if schools stuck to the alternatives they would save alot of money that could be used else where in the school. It cost more money to buy the Dead animals and have them shipped and ready to cut open with all the tools than it would to just show pictures and have students study that way. Another point is when you take the class anatomey which teaches you about the human body why is it that the schoool doesnt feel the need to cut open a dead human body? When studying the human body disecting a frog or cat (our school uses cats) is not going to help anybody to learn more about the human body. Yes humans have some homolgous structres but you dont have to cut open animals to learn about that.
Alternatives are the only way to go!
"Many have proposed substituting the use of computer simulations, realistic models, multimedia presentations, anatomical overlays, and butcher shop "parts" in place of conventional dissection. More creative alternatives include the use of marine "specimens" from the supermarket (Colby, et. al, 1995), use of PlayDoh(TM) to study brain anatomy (Wilson & Marcus, 1992), and use of interactive videodisc simulations (Strauss & Kinzie, 1991). The rapidly expanding resources of the World Wide Web also include many new resources on the Internet (please see the list of related home pages at the end of this Digest). Anzovin (1993) made the point that many alternatives to dissection are cleaner and cheaper than dissection, allow students to learn at their own pace, and reduce safety considerations. "
Wilson, C., & Marcus, D.K. (1992). Teaching anatomy of the sheep brain: A laboratory exercise with PlayDoh(TM). Teaching of Psychology, 19(4), 223-225.
There is no reason to murder an animal just to see something that we know is there. Classrooms teach cruelty my forcing students to dissect live animals.
there's no reason to kill an animal these days for the purpose of dissection
Use a virtual classroom.
I think that what Kayla is doing is just amazing. I am a sophmore, and am currently taking Biology. We start dissecting in about two weeks, and as a Vegetarian I really do not want to. I need good grades, but I think my beliefs are more important. And i will protest for my rights, and animals rights. No one should be forced to do something they want, and dissecting is wrong. It is inhumane, and should not be mandatory. I would rather fail the course then not stand up for animals rights, and my beliefs.
Go Veg!
Dissecting animals is a very cruel thing to do. i think the schools should replace it with alternatives such as reading about it or something to that nature. This dissecting of animals have been going on for much too long.
I think more schools do allow you to opt out. My daughter's school does. When I was young, we had no such choice and I was horrified!
I believe every classroom should have alternatives because we should not be encouraged to kill, just the opposite! I think it helps to show that there are always alternatives to murdering and torturing animals and that we should treat our fellow earth beings with respect…
Dear Kayla,
I am so happy that someone out there is making a difference in the lives of animals!!! i am only an eighth grader at a middle school, and as you know i will be heading to the high school next year. All my teachers have started talking about what is going to happen in the high school and what we'll be learning. My science teacher said that we might even be dissecting. Right as she said that, I got a chill down my spine and i felt like teaching her a lesson. But i had to remember that you need to be respectful when tryingt to teach people that dissecting is wrong. I explained to my friends why it's not cool to dissect and why it's inhumane. Some kids in my class thought that as a good ending experiment this year, we should dissect some frogs. With the facts that I gave them, my friends and I stood up to our teacher and fellow classmates by saying how it was totally wrong to dissect and there were so many other great alternatives. So, i think my teacher got the message, since we were respectful to her and did not yell or act mean. I'm pretty sure that no one in our school will be dissecting animals this year in my eighth grade science classroom.(: Dissecting is wrong. If there are alternatives, why not use them? Frogs and cats and bunnies and all the other innocent animals that have to go through the pain of being dissected don't deserve it, and people need to start to realize that. I always tell people to check out peta2.com to get the facts straight. Hopefully, in the future, dissection will be cut out for good and we will only use alternative programs which are still just as useful and just as knowledgable. thanks! ~Marlena(:
Because I think it is wrong to kill animals and cut into them just for the sake of a classroom assignment! There are other ways to learn!
I think every science classroom should have dissection alternatives available to students because some students may be opposed to further harming animals and it is not right to kill innocent animals just so students can dissect them. They can learn about the insides of an animal from a textbook. Also, there should be dissection alternatives available to students because some of them may be allergic to animals or may find the smell to be too overwhelming and the smell could make them sick.
Kayla,
It is great to see what you have done. Reading your story I see that I can too make a difference. Wow you are really great and deserve this award.
Kayla,
I have 6 bunnies and 2 of then are the same as yours!=] It makes me oober happy to see that you have a love for your animals like i do. I live out in the middle of the woods and have a lot of animals. each of them are special to em in their won way. We recently had a baby goat live in our bathroom because ti almost froze to death!
I am VERY proud of you and what you are ding to stop the dissecting of innocent animals. When the time comes for me to do dissecting I'll be sure to think of you and what you would do. Maybe slap a few PETA stickers on my work when the teacher hands us the paper explaining the assignment.
Keep doing what your doing, you are truly a inspiration!
Maygin =]
In 7th grade I had to dissect a chicken wing. It was so . I didn't do it. When i walked into the classroom the teacher told us to find a partner to dissect with and when people asked me I said no and walked out of the calss. So what if I got an F. I would rather save a life than get an A that would just dissapear in my file forever.
I've always wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy, but then I found out you have to dissect, so I basically had to abandon that idea. I don't understand why someone can't learn the same amount of info from technology that doesn't harm animals instead or tourturing them. Also, in high school I've had to say I was Buddhist who didn't believe in harming animals, although I don't really believe in organized religion. But I did it for the animals.
Alternatives need to be given and people should be able to make a decision about their education.
Wow. That's really cool. I don't think I could ever dissect. And, some day I hope to do something quite like this to help animals. Great Job, Kayla. :]
YEAH!! i always leave my classroom when ever we have a dissection lab. my teacher always finds an alternative thing for me to do
i am really thankful for her. 
Not too long ago my school was disecting crayfish, and to most people that was ok. But for me, I hated it. The first day I complained that I couldn't do it and my teacher told me I had to do it or I'd fail the course. Not only did I think that was wrong, but there was no real reason to disect the thing in the first place. There are tons of programs online and offline that would give you the same result without having to kill animals. My teacher even picked on me and said that he would make us disect baby pigs too, but he was serious.
As the time came again to go to lab and disect this crayfish I found out I had to work alone which meant pulling things off its body and cutting open its abdomen. I walked to my teachers desk and said,"I really can't do this.." and he just looked at me and said,"Well, why not?" all grumpy and irritated. I started to tear up and said nevermind and walked to my seat and stared at the poor crayfish on the disecting pan. "Can you just look at it to lable the parts?" he said quietly, I nodded.
The thing about all this that upset me the most is that it took someone to cry for the teacher to realize that not everyone is ok with this form of learning. No one should have to do something if they are morally against it, no one NEEDS to do it there are so many alternatives out there. I would have gladly failed the course if it meant not poking around a dead crayfish, I find that sad and disrespectful.
The life of animals should not be of little value and importance!