Ethylene glycol–preserved specimens have actually been first fixed in formaldehyde or formalin solutions. They are then washed and preserved in ethylene glycol, which is the same chemical in your car’s antifreeze. Ethylene glycol is another toxic chemical that our children are being exposed to during biology animal dissections. It can affect the central nervous system, heart and kidneys. Remember that besides the toxic ethylene glycol, these animals still have formaldehyde inside them as well. When the animals are cut open, our children are exposed to toxic poisonous ethylene glycol and formaldehyde.
Dangerous Dissection Chemical #2: Alcohol
Another commonly used dissection preservative our children are exposed to is alcohol. This alcohol (usually isopropanol) is very flammable and should be avoided in the classroom.
Dangerous Dissection Chemical #1: Formaldehyde
After animals are killed specifically for classroom dissection purposes they are then often preserved. Dissection animals are embalmed with a chemical preservative called formaldehyde (also known as methanal). Formaldehyde is a nearly colorless and highly irritating gas with a sharp odor. The liquid these dissection animals are contained in is actually formaldehyde dissolved in water called formalin. Formaldehyde is a known nasal and dermal carcinogen. It is also a sensitizer, causing allergy-related symptoms.
When students cut open these preserved dead animals, formaldehyde can be released. This formaldehyde can damage the children’s eyes, cause asthma attacks and bronchitis when exposed to this poison. Symptoms of formaldehyde exposure include eye, nose, throat and skin irritation. Other dissection chemical symptoms include a persistent cough, other respiratory ailments, headache, nausea and dizziness.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this chemical preservative can be linked to cancer of the throat, lungs, and nasal passages. Children may be more susceptible to the respiratory effects of formaldehyde than adults, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Biology students should not be exposed to dead animals preserved in formaldehyde.
Dissection Danger
Animals that are killed for middle and high school biology class dissections are soaked in toxic preservatives that are hazardous. In most cases, the commercial supply houses that process and ship these dead animals use dangerous formaldehyde, formalin, alcohol, or ethylene glycol to preserve the animals for our children to then handle. Over the next few days we will highlight some of the dangerous chemicals your child may be exposed to if they do animal dissections at school.
Medical Schools Dissection-Free
100% of U.S. medical schools do not require their medical students to participate in animal dissection. Therefore it is safe to say that cutting open animals is not necessary to become a brilliant doctor or grade school student.
FRIDAY FACT #3
They spent approximately $634 billion to educate all public school students in the 2015-2016 school year in America.
FRIDAY FACT #1
In the United States for the year 2015, 50.1 million children attended a public elementary or secondary school.
PARENTS AGREE: Y3K TUTOR IN YOUR HOME CHANGES LIVES #9
The owner has been tutoring my kids – now in 10th grade – since they were in elementary school. The specific needs have varied over the years and Jerry has always been able to adapt his teaching and style to provide what was needed. He is able to provide support across all the academic subjects – but just as critically – he has helped with organizational skills and planning. And he has remained even and cool-headed in the face of difficult teenagers, resistant to getting help. In the face of reactions that would fell the most intact ego, Jerry has maintained his sense of humor. I can’t recommend Y3K Tutor In Your Home highly enough.
Michael J.
Newton North High School Parent
Newton, MA
Back To School Success #2: Agenda Books
Agenda books are great for recording and keeping track of homework assignments. The best agenda books to use are the ones that have the date and each subject printed daily. Y3K Tutor In Your Home strongly suggests that you stay away from the planners without the date and subject names pre-printed in each box. We have observed that the unmarked agenda books cause many organizational problems for students. If the subject names are not pre-printed, the students tend to focus on writing the subject name when they should be listening and writing the assignment. Or if students don’t bother to write in the subject name, they sometimes are not sure which assignments are for which class after they have written them. When dates are not pre-printed, some students will write assignments on various pages and have them scattered throughout the book.
Back To School Success #1: Homework Space
The first question to ask yourself is, “Where does your child do their homework on a consistent basis?” Then ask yourself, “Where does your child keep their laptop, tablet, and/or cell phone while they are doing their homework?” If the answer to both questions is the same location, then this may cause a lot of problems. Students require a quiet place to do their homework without interruptions.
Some children (and adults) struggle with putting aside social media and texting, so it is up to the parents to monitor this activity during homework time. One solution is to have them do their homework within view such as at the dining room table. Another solution would be to keep all the electronics in a separate location when they are doing homework in a private room such as their bedroom or study room.
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