I'm waiting for feedback from the NRA on that. I called in and spoke with someone, and they're pretty sure that in special cases (e.g. the pregnant woman, etc.) you can forgo the live firing. I'll reply back when I hear official word back from the NRA.
And you need to stop with the attitudes... I never said that I DON'T teach live fire courses, all I said was that I would be willing to NOT require the actual live firing for special cases (again, such as the pregnant woman) if they did not want to live fire, but rather have them dry fire instead. And finally, do not tell me what to teach and what not to teach. I've qualified hundreds of people in RI for their permits, and run hundreds of NRA safety courses and have yet to hear about a student having a problem with safety or shooting fundamentals. As far as I'm concerned, this is a technicality and has no bearing the OBJECTIVE of the course, which is to educate. If you NEED to hear a gun go off to determine whether or not your student has learned what you taught them, then you are a poor instructor.
If you actually READ your lesson plans, the NRA even states that the written examination shouldn't be used as pass/fail, but as a tool to help you identify where your students need help, and to help hone your abilities as an instructor. This course is not as rigid and as black & white as you're making it out to be, and I think that it is YOU that is diminishing the true purpose of this course by making it so rigid and black & white.
Even the NRA rep I spoke with on the phone agreed with me, but wanted to double-check and will get back to me. I will do whatever the NRA recommends that I do.