Why do students continue to dissect animals in biology classes? Why, despite the excellence of teaching resources for veterinary and human medical education that substitute for dissection, do those provided for pre-college students fall short in convenience, flexibility, and coordination with the curriculum? Why Dissection? Animal Use in Education looks beyond the typical yes-or-no debate about dissection to understand how we came to our current practice of dissection in intermediate and high school biology, even as preparation of health professionals has moved away from dissection. Despite the many forces that support the continued use of dissection in pedagogy, teachers retain much autonomy in how they teach in the classroom, and legislation in many states provide specific requirements for what should and should not be taught in separated science and health curricula, offering students the option to not engage in dissection. Why Dissection? walks students, teachers, and parents through these options to help them make more informed choices regarding their science education options.

Lynette A. Hart is professor in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.

Mary W. Wood is Librarian in Health Sciences at the Carlson Health Sciences Library, University of California, Davis.

Benjamin L. Hart is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Behavior and Physiology in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.