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An ethics lesson in the real world Lesson looks at controversial topics Grade 11 students draft cloning laws Oct. 14, 2003. 01:00 AM LOUISE BROWN EDUCATION REPORTER In an unusual coast-to-coast move, the University of Toronto is sending a kit this month to every high school in the country, to help students "create" laws on cloning — in five easy lessons. Maybe they should send one to Parliament Hill. Ten years after a 1,300-page royal commission report urged a new law to control reproductive technology in Canada, the latest draft, Bill C-13, sits bogged in controversy even today. In Ottawa, government house leader Don Boudria acknowledged recently that a plan to finally vote on the legislation is off again, thanks to stalling tactics by opponents. A vote is unlikely before later this month. Yet Toronto student Allison Martell was able to draft a new law on stem cell research in five classes, between homework, volunteering and running the school environment club. So were classmate Noemi Blasutta and dozens of other Grade 11 students who drafted cloning legislation as part of a test run of the new lesson kit, which guides students through the ethics of controversial topics by role-playing real- life politics. Martell, now in Grade 12, admits students argued about everything, from when life begins to whether to send clone- criminals to jail — yet they were able to hammer out legislation that passed a "free vote" in class. "At our school, we all wrote legislation that banned reproductive cloning like Dolly the Sheep, but that did allow therapeutic cloning — with government controls," said Martell, a student at private girls' school Branksome Hall. Unlike the real bill spinning its wheels this week in Parliament, the students' mock laws would allow researchers to actually create embryos for stem cell research to treat disease. In contrast, Bill C-13 would outlaw most cloning techniques, including those many scientists consider valuable for research, although it would allow research using human embryos discarded from the in vitro fertilization process — something that has drawn strong opposition from pro-life MPs, including some Liberals. "We had a lot of faith in government's ability to regulate these issues — but I'm not sure if the general population has the same faith," said Martell, whose school was one of three to take part in a pilot project. The lesson kit is the brainchild of several think tanks on medical ethics — the U of T's Joint Centre for Bioethics and the Ontario Genomics Institute, with support from Genome Canada and the Stem Cell Network. It includes information on the science of stem cell research, which Martell said students touch on in the new biology curriculum. `We all wrote legislation ... that did allow therapeutic cloning — with government controls.' Allison Martell, student It also provides classes with background on the views of various interest groups, from drug companies to patients, religious leaders to lawmakers. Students are then assigned roles to research and act out, in a process designed to reflect the real debate. "As legislators, we tried to make everyone happy. But we discovered that's not always possible. So you try to make sure the decisions will be placed in very good hands," said Noemi. Classmate Julie Herczeg was assigned to represent the views of the orthodox Jewish community, while others argued from the point of view of Muslims, Catholics and Protestants. "We learned to hear all sides before making a decision, and it's something that can apply when you're trying to reach consensus on any kind of issue, not just stem cell research." Instilling that sense of tolerance for diversity is the whole idea, said Dr. Peter Singer, director of the Joint Centre for Bioethics. "The core idea was not to give students the answer to the question of stem cell research, but to give them the tools to come up with their own answer on any controversial issue facing a democratic society," said Singer, who traces his own career in bioethics back to a Grade 13 project. "Our vision is that thousands of students across Canada will be discussing a key issue before Parliament, and going home and engaging their families in dinner-table discussions of the same issue, and maybe even talking to MPs. "That's a vision of democracy based on people getting informed on critical issues and reaching balanced, neutral conclusions." Boudria insisted that despite repeated delays, he still plans to bring the legislation to a vote. "Definitely. I'm calling the bill again later (this month) and I'm confident that immediately upon our return after the week of break that the bill will go through," he said. Boudria had initially planned to call a vote last spring, but opposition by Liberal backbenchers made it likely the government would lose. Last month, the balance of votes appeared to tip in the Liberal government's favour, when NDP members decided they would support the proposed legislation. With files from Valerie Lawton SOURCE: The Toronto Star, Canada http://tinyurl.com/r94w * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn