House Democrats Seek to Expand Sex Education Requirements

Gongwer News Service

With Democrats in control of the House, supporters of "comprehensive sex education" hope the issue will get more traction this year than similar measures have in past sessions under Republican rule.

Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio issued a statement Monday lauding Rep. Stephen Slesnick's (D-Canton) new bill (HB 316) as a more realistic approach than the "abstinence-only" education favored by some Republicans.

"Whereas Planned Parenthood supports and teaches the importance of abstinence, we also know that many young people are already engaging in sexual activity," Executive Director Gary Dougherty said in a statement.

"Abstinence-only instruction is a head in the sand approach and is not working. It does not provide students with information about how to prevent unintended pregnancy or the spread of sexually transmitted infections," he added.

To underscore his point, Mr. Dougherty cited statistics showing one third of girls become pregnant before age 20, and one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted infection, according to the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2006, nearly 27,000 Ohio girls between the ages of 10 and 19 became pregnant.

Meanwhile, hearings on a similar proposal (HB 293) that would broaden sex education requirements, and generally expand access to emergency contraception, are set to begin Wednesday in the House Health Committee.

Mr. Dougherty said Rep. Slesnick's proposal would not mandate sex education, but would require schools districts that teach the subject to offer "comprehensive, age-appropriate, medically-accurate" information that can help prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

In addition, Mr. Dougherty said the bill includes the following provisions:

• Providing information about the effectiveness and safety of all contraceptive methods that prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
• Allowing a parent to excuse their child from comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention lessons.
• Teaching that abstinence from sexual activity is the expected standard for all school age children.
• Encouraging pupils to communicate with their parents about human sexuality.
• Teaching pupils to recognize, reject, and not to make unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances.

 

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