I wish I hadn't

[myrtlemaneet]

2 years ago in life science we dissected frogs. I was vegetarian at that point, and i REALLY did not want to dissect frogs, but I was too shy and scared to mention it to my teacher, so I dissected that frog. I felt so bad about it. My partner and I had what my teacher called an 'immature female', meaning she wasn't fully developed, and that made me so sad. She was a baby!! Uggh! And then a few days later my teacher brought in pig organs he got from a local slaughterhouse. He had lungs, heart, intestines and the rear end. I was so disgusted with what he did, he grabbed the butt and stuck his finger up it and said "Look, I'm sticking my finger up the pig's anus!" everyone but me laughed. In my head I was yelling at him, saying "You can't DO that!" but of course I said nothing.

And now I learn that next year we're dissecting fetal pigs. Babies. Again. I REFUSE to be a passive wuss again and let my teacher blatantly disrespect a dead creature, and I refuse to cut one up! However, I'm so shy and I can't talk to people about things that really matter AT ALL. I don't know what to do about it.

Any tips, or can anyone tell me something that might make me feel better?

[Spree]

people are jerks.

i would write a letter if i were you and didnt want to deal with a confrontation.

[Mrrple]

I would throw things.

But that's me. Letter definitely sounds good, and you should ask other forum members besides the teen forum too.

[Jennifer89]

Hey kid (I call everyone that, so that's not an insult ;) ),
Back in middle school I was faced with dissecting a chicken wing. I wasn't into the idea of cutting open an animal, but when I asked my teacher for an alternative, I was told that the only way I could get one was by becomeing a vegetarian. At the time, I thought that was crazy, so I went through with the dissection. Of course, now since I look back, I relize how wrong I was: not only did I learn NOTHING from the dissection, but it's also not crazy to be a vegetarian!

But NOW I'm interning for PETA, working my little butt off for Cut Out Dissection Month (which is now!) and trying to inform everyone I can, in every way I can, that dissection is wrong. In fact, a press release goes out tomorrow and I'll be answering questions from media on dissection and some other surprices that I've got waiting for ya'll (more tomorrow after the press release goes out :) ).

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, we all make these mistakes, you know? But the thing is that we learn from them, and we don't do them again. Next year, you'll find a way to get out of the dissection. You live in a state where it's illegal for your teacher to force you to dissect, so all you have to do is get a letter from your mom/dad. So you'll be okay, I promise. And remember, I'm always here for you, so if you need anything, PM me, or I can give you my email/facebook page in case your not on these boards next year, okay?

[Dogma]

I don't dissect because it's disrespectful toward the dead, I simply don't dissect because the dissected are mass-produced like Fisher-Price toys to be mulled over and experimented with by humans.

Personally I would confront the teacher with the blatant impression that she had just committed an act unholy.

For those of you who need excuses to get out of this, I have used:
"Sorry I am strongly opposed to participating in any scientific activity that unnecessarily expends school-purchased learning materials, we could just as well simulate the grotesque mutilation of a kitten corpse on the internet."