{"id":609,"date":"2008-06-15T08:30:08","date_gmt":"2008-06-15T12:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flascience.org\/wp\/?p=609"},"modified":"2008-08-07T10:06:22","modified_gmt":"2008-08-07T14:06:22","slug":"frogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=609","title":{"rendered":"Frogs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is was intrigued by this letter to the editor in the Sun-Sentinel<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\nRe the June 7 letter, “What is museum exhibit teaching?” stating that the scientific dissection of frogs would cause children to go out and start cutting up small animals: Quite the leap from “budding scientist” to “crazed animal mutilator,” solely because the museum included frog dissection in its exhibit.<\/p>\n

The letter writer should keep in mind that scientists and innovators like Richard Lower, who discovered the methods of modern blood transfusion in the mid-17th century, or Leonardo DaVinci, whose anatomical sketches revolutionized the 15th century’s medical world, both used human and animal dissection to reach their incredible conclusions. The Museum of Discovery and Science, by including frog dissection as part of its exhibit, is simply living up to its name and reputation of bringing “discovery” and “science” to children and adults alike.<\/p>\n

It’s such a shame to see that even positive and incredibly interesting aspects of our children’s education are going to be scrutinized, criticized and, in some cases, attempted to be stopped. Instead of concerning ourselves with our children learning about science and the inner workings of such fascinating creatures, why not focus our energies on safeguarding and supporting these museums and their programs in order to ensure that the children who inherit this Earth are the innovators and scientists of the future?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is the original letter<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Why is the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale dissecting frogs?<\/p>\n

The museum is touting “Frogs: A Chorus of Colors” as a special exhibit. It would seem that they believe that the correct way to celebrate frogs is by dissecting them.<\/p>\n

I spoke to a museum representative. Her response was “dissecting frogs is science.” I told her that I didn’t believe dissecting frogs in front of children the smartest thing the museum could do. She told me to look at “Bodies”: It’s drawing huge crowds. One assumes that means that drawing crowds is what the museum is after, not science.<\/p>\n

Many high schools and colleges use computer programs like “Virtual Frog Dissection.” But I guess that wouldn’t turn any of those impressionable children into budding scientists.<\/p>\n

I wonder how many kids will leave the museum and then decide it’s OK to start taking small creatures apart?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The museum exhibit in question is Frogs, a chorus of colors<\/a>. Personally, I don’t think a frog dissection on display at a museum will cause kids to go out and start mutilating critters. What do you think?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is was intrigued by this letter to the editor in the Sun-Sentinel: Re the June 7 letter, “What is museum exhibit teaching?” stating that the scientific dissection of frogs would cause children to go out and start cutting up small … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/scZNLl-frogs","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1342,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1342","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":0},"title":"Dissections","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"June 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Paul Cottle wrote on his blog about an ABC news report focused on a push to reduce dissections in schools, replacing them with virtual dissections. There is a Florida connection here. A company is working hard to get its particular dissection program into schools and hooked at least one Florida\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 3 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 3 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1342#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1123,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1123","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":1},"title":"Second annual fundraising wrap up","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"September 18, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"We're all done, folks! This year we gave a total of $1,775 to 13 classrooms across Florida for science education learning tools. (Last year we gave $1,507 to seven schools.) Here are the schools we helped this time and the kinds of stuff they now have because of you: >>\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Raising $ for classrooms"","block_context":{"text":"Raising $ for classrooms","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?cat=20"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":768,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=768","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":2},"title":"UFOs","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"November 5, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"There is some controversy going on concerning an exhibit and talk going on at The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science. I'll let Dr. Paul Cottle tell you all about it via his letter to the editor: Brogan should give up UFO 'pseudoscience' Florida's scientists and science educators recently\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antiscience nonsense"","block_context":{"text":"Antiscience nonsense","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?cat=21"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1045,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1045","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":3},"title":"Followup on FL Virtual School and evolution assignment","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"May 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"The St. Petersburg Times education blog The Gradebook asked the folks at Florida Virtual School about the issue of students using the online school to opt out of course material they or their families don't like. Unfortunately, I'm still just a bit confused. The blog posts says: In response to\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 10 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 10 comments","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1045#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":200,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=200","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":4},"title":"Largest Shark that Ever Lived","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"April 27, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"It lurks in High Springs. At 60 feet long, 12 feet wide and 14 feet high, this model shark is the largest project ever for Archie's Welding. The shark is destined for the \"Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived\" exhibit that opens in June at the Florida Museum of Natural\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "In the News"","block_context":{"text":"In the News","link":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1247,"url":"https:\/\/www.flascience.org\/?p=1247","url_meta":{"origin":609,"position":5},"title":"Teacher internship, day 7","author":"Brandon Haught","date":"January 13, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"My apologies if my teacher internship is dominating this blog lately. It's been quiet on the business end of Florida Citizens for Science, so there isn't much to write about there. But there is plenty going on in my classroom: pig dissections! 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