Dissection at SLO High

I sent this email to Stephanie Finucane, editorial page editor at the Tribune, in response to Tuesday's editorial about what is happening at San Luis Obispo High with the dissection of dead cats in the classroom.

Dear Stephanie,

First, let me congratulate you on your recent promotion to Opinion Page editor and to thank you for the obvious time and effort you've devoted recently to putting local perspective back in the paper.

But I must confess that my jaw literally dropped this morning when I read your PETA/dissection editorial online and it left me wondering whether this was 2007 or 1957. With all due respect, I can't believe that any legitimate newspaper took the editorial position you did this morning.

Stephanie, fifteen minutes of basic Internet research would reveal studies that show students who use computer simulations score higher than those who dissect. Schools also end up saving money. Organizations like the Humane Society of the United States have long called for a ban on any classroom dissection prior to university level.

I suspect you chose to make a knee-jerk reaction to PETA and I'm the first to admit that they often cross the line. However, I think they're right this time in merely asking SLO High to explore other options. After all, if our schools aren't open-minded to new ideas, what's the point of education? So I guess I was hoping for a more receptive response from the Tribune, perhaps similar to Will Jones who has already said that perhaps the time has come to reconsider dissection.

Oh, and you suggest that we don't know that it was students behind the prank with the cats? Really?

If you're near a radio tonight at 5:05, please tune it to KVEC 920 AM and you'll hear my conversation with a rep from the national office of PETA. Perhaps if you had had a similar conversation, today's editorial would have struck a more hopeful note

Best,

Dave Congalton