It's taken a while, but I've successfully convinced my biology teacher to let me take a research project instead of the dissections planned for this quarter (crayfish, frog, and fetal pig). However, he has said that the research project will be longer and more complicated than the dissection write-up. I feel like he is punishing me. Should I mention this to the principal, or just deal with it?

Additionally, he is requiring us all to do a bug collection. I told him that skipping the dissection and then dropping insects into alchohol for the purpose of study is a double standard, but he doesn't care. I have to do it or I fail the assignment. How do you feel about the life of bugs? Should I just do it? I have a 4.0 and this might bring me down to a C in the class.

I wouldn't back down. He is being completely unfair. First the research project should be of equal worth and equal effort. Otherwise he is discriminating you for having compassion to non-human animals. Second the bug thing is a double standard. I would stay firm and definately tell the principal if he refuses to compromise. But please tell him that you will tell the principal, so it doesn't look like you are going behind his back. Maybe say something like "We have talked about this long enough and it looks like neither of us will reach a compromise. If we can't settle this ourselves I will talk to the principal to see what he/she thinks."

I wouldn't back down. He is being completely unfair. First the research project should be of equal worth and equal effort. Otherwise he is discriminating you for having compassion to non-human animals. Second the bug thing is a double standard. I would stay firm and definately tell the principal if he refuses to compromise. But please tell him that you will tell the principal, so it doesn't look like you are going behind his back. Maybe say something like "We have talked about this long enough and it looks like neither of us will reach a compromise. If we can't settle this ourselves I will talk to the principal to see what he/she thinks."
He's right. Your teacher seems to be a bit of a butt. You really should involve the principal. He shouldn't give you more of a workload than the rest of the class. Good for you for sticking to your guns! :up:

Ok - I had this dilemma, too when I took AP bio. I also convinced my teacher to let me do a report rather than dissect the pig. So I decided to give in on the bugs. Here's what I did though - I went around to all of my window sills and found tons of bugs. Then, I went to a friend's pool and collected the rest I needed from the filter. Didn't really have to kill anything except maybe one which I didn't feel too horribly about since I do kill mosquitoes and other bugs (though also go out of my way to let them outside when I can).

That sounds pretty decent. My teacher would probably let me do that.

Ok - I had this dilemma, too when I took AP bio. I also convinced my teacher to let me do a report rather than dissect the pig. So I decided to give in on the bugs. Here's what I did though - I went around to all of my window sills and found tons of bugs. Then, I went to a friend's pool and collected the rest I needed from the filter. Didn't really have to kill anything except maybe one which I didn't feel too horribly about since I do kill mosquitoes and other bugs (though also go out of my way to let them outside when I can).

Wow, that is a really good idea. Good thinking about finding dead bugs in the usual places.

That is pretty lame of your teacher... I teach life science, and Ive never had a student who was a veggie, but If I did I wouldnt ask them to do anything they didnt want to... I mean there are so many computer apps available that that can simulate disection, and many school districts have the programs and some science teachers dont even know about them! I mean, I teach a watered down version of biology and I never have to kill animals in my class. We have pets which are very helpful for my students to learn how to care for them... we even have pet bugs and many of the students are very attached to them... to the point that one day when I was out a sub took one of the containers of darkling beetles and shook it and the students got rather upset with him and told me all about it!

So, I wouldnt do anything you dont feel right doing... your teacher shouldnt be able to force you into anything... at least they cant in NY.

I would try the finding the dead bugs approach on the collection.
If the research project is *really excessive I would involve the principal. It could be that he feels the dissection would be very complicated so even though the write up would be easier he needs to give a more complicated research project to even it out. If it's just complicated but manageable I would go ahead and do it. I would also thank him for "working" with you when you hand it in. He wasn't perfect but he's sure better than most. I would let him know at the end of the year about how you compromised on the bug collection. The way you and he handle the issue now will surely color how he handles the issue with future students.
My biology teacher was great when I told her I didn't want to dissect animals. She had me after class and asked me why and asked me what I planned on doing with my life after high school because dissection would be a requirement in many fields. When I explained everything to her she felt satisfied that I had valid reasons for not wanting to dissect and had me do a computer program instead. She warned me the write up would be harder on the computer program because the pictures were not wonderful and that the test would be more difficult because the dissection actually weighed in on the test. It was but I managed to do fairly well regardless. I skipped AP biology as I wasn't going into any medical field and I was not going to be in the position of dissecting a cat. There was a staunch policy of not being excused from the dissection if you chose to take the class. No exceptions.
Good luck!
Mary