Comprehensive Sex Education in Ohio

I figured I'd stay true to the trend and post another piece of moving legislation for this final blog. This time around it deals with revising the teaching of sexual education in Ohio. Well, the bill is actually pretty big and wide-reaching, but specifically, Section 3313.6011 revises sex education in Ohio. The full bill can be reached here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA131-HB-132, in case anyone is interested in seeing the language.

First, the bill strikes out the current language, which emphasizes abstinence education as the only reliable methods of avoiding pregnancy and "venereal disease." Additionally, the stricken language focuses on the consequences, physical, psychological, and financial dangers of sex outside of marriage, as well as stressing adoption as an option for unintended pregnancy.

The new language begins with the following two definitions:
(1) "Age-appropriate" means appropriate for a pupil based on the social, cognitive, and emotional level of the pupil.
(2) "Comprehensive sexual health education" means education regarding human development and sexuality that includes education on sexual health, family planning, and sexually transmitted infections.
The language goes on to specify that HIV/AIDS education is not comprehensive education and that all presented material shall be "medically and scientifically accurate" as defined by being published in peer-reviewed journals and recognized as accurate by medical professionals.

However, the legislation only allows that schools may offer comprehensive sexual education, and dictates that abstinence still be stressed as it is the only foolproof method of avoiding sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies. However, regardless if schools elect not to offer comprehensive sexual education information on contraceptives and infection reduction measures shall not be excluded in favor of abstinence only education.

Schools that do elect to offer comprehensive sexual education have to a list of requirements in order to meet the definition of "comprehensive sexual health education" above, such as additional information around the topic of navigating intimate relationships, recognizing sexual harassment and assault, the effect that drugs and alcohol have on the possibility of sexual violence, methods of resisting unwanted sexual advances, all health benefits and side-effects of contraceptive and infection reduction methods, etc. Additionally, the bill prohibits material from promoting any religious doctrine and requires that it be appropriate for all pupils, regardless of gender, race, ethnic and cultural background, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

This bill is a step in the right direction, though I'm not crazy about the fact that schools have the right to opt-out of comprehensive sexual health education. However, at least those schools are prohibited from teaching "abstinence only" education under this bill. I'm also a little surprised that the language specifically mentions sexual orientation and gender identity, as that seems surprisingly progressive for Ohio. There are a mix of additional good aspects. The broader approach, including the social aspect of navigating relationships and recognizing, as well as what to do about, unwanted or violent sexual interest, is refreshing, rather than dealing solely with the act of sex, and seems very progressive. The material presented is also supposed "emphasize personal accountability," and "resisting peer pressure," which reeks of victim blaming. Along with the ability for schools to opt-out and for parents to prohibit their children from receiving this education, there is a certain amount of continuing conservative sentiment among all of the progressive portions of the bill.