Ban Dissection - Ask Miami-Dade Schools To Set Humane Example

FROM Brenda Shoss, Kinship Circle

Ask Miami-Dade's School Board to consider a district-wide ban on dissection. At the very least, please enact a student choice policy with non-animal options.

CONTACT

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
701 Brickell Avenue, Ste. 2700 / Miami, FL 33131
ph: 800-933-8448; email: VIC@gmcvb.com

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
1601 Biscayne Blvd. / Miami, FL 33132
ph: 888-660-5955; email: reception@miamichamber.com 

Alberto Carvalho, Office of the Superintendent
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
1450 N.E. Second Avenue, Suite 912 / Miami, FL 33132
ph: 305-995-1430; fax: 305-995-1488
email: Superintendent'sOffice@dadeschools.net 

Miami-Dade County School Board
ADDRESS/PHONE FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS:
(District #) School Board Member
M-DCPS
1450 NE Second Avenue / Miami, FL 33132 / 7th floor
ph: 305 995-1334; fax: 305 995-1572

School Board Members:
District 1 - Dr. Wilbert "Tee" Holloway: wtholloway@dadeschools.net
District 2 - Dr. Solomon C. Stinson, Chair: sstinson@dadeschools.net
District 3 - Dr. Martin Karp: martinkarp@dadeschools.net
District 4 - Ms. Perla Tabares Hantman: phantman@dadeschools.net
District 5 - Mr. Renier Diaz de la Portilla: rdiazdelaportilla@dadeschools.net
District 6 - Mr. Agustin J. Barrera: ajbarrera@dadeschools.net
District 7 - Ms. Ana Rivas Logan: alogan@dadeschools.net
District 8 - Dr. Marta Perez, Vice-Chair: martaperez@dadeschools.net
District 9 - Dr. Lawrence S. Feldman: lfeldman@dadeschools.net

INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS

Miami-Dade public high schools have a chance to teach kids empathy and better science -- while serving as an exemplary model for schools nationwide. Florida residents, and beyond, urge you to modernize classroom science with humane and affordable non-animal tools.

Currently, some 13 Miami-Dade high schools dissect cats. Each cat costs $32 to $82 for one-time usage. Dead cats often originate in shelters that gas animals. Death by gassing is illegal in Florida.

Conversely, computerized, 3D dissections can be used multiple times. Ten years ago Broward County eliminated cat dissection because kids had an emotional connection to a family pet," says JP Keener, Broward's Supervisor of Science Education. Studies show that students who learn via virtual dissection out-perform those who do conventional dissection.

I respectfully ask Miami-Dade's School Board to consider a district-wide ban on dissection. At the very least, please enact a student choice policy with non-animal options. As a leader in humane education, Miami-Dade would project an image of compassion -- attractive not only to residents, but also tourists and businesses. On the other hand, continuance of cat dissection in Miami-Dade schools offends potential vacationers and shoppers, especially those with companion animals.

Dissection objectifies animals and shows students that cruelty is no big deal. Indeed, a troubled child who dismembers an "already dead" animal may gain the confidence to torture a live one. Florida's alleged cat killer, Tyler Weinman, dissected cats at his Miami-Dade high school before brutally killing 19 companion cats. Teens like Weinman who "practice" on animals commonly graduate to violent crimes against humans.

With so many humane alternatives in the feline area alone -- Anatomy of the Cat Video/DVD; BioLab Cat; Cat Dissection Library; CatLab; Catworks; Common House Cat Skull; Pregnant Cat Model; Dissection Video Series: Cat; etc. -- there is no reason to still dissect cats or other animals.

Thank you for everything you do for animals!