Testimony in Support of SB 121

Senate Education Committee

October 29, 2019

Submitted by Julie Ohlemacher

Chairwoman Lehner and members of the Senate Education Committee,

I am writing today to urge you to oppose SB121 until it gives authority to the State Board of Education to include comprehensive sexual health education as a part of health standards.

I was born and raised in Ohio, built my business here, married my spouse here, and plan to raise my family here. I am fully invested in my community and in the state of Ohio. It is truly where my heart belongs.

Unfortunately, as a Certified Health Coach with a background in Health Promotion and Communications, I know that our state lacks in many health related areas. My personal mission is to help overcome some of these challenges. Without going into the details of my business, it is successful in part because young women who grew up here in Ohio didn't have the best health education. They seek me out to help them learn how to listen to their instincts, ask good questions, evaluate the information and easily make decisions that reinforce a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

This is exactly what Health Education Standards will address. Standards are not the specific curriculum or lesson plans; those decisions will be retained by the local school district. But without including the authority for these standards to include sex education, we will likely continue to see higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, teen pregnancy, abortion, infant mortality, and maternal health complications than other states that acknowledge that sexual health is an important part of health education. We cannot raise a generation of empowered women if we fail to teach them about their bodies. A young woman learning how to say she is not ready for sex is far more impactful than simply telling her that she shouldn't have sex. A young man learning how to have a conversation about birth control and pregnancy with his partner leads to less unplanned pregnancy and abortion than telling them they can get a disease if they have sex.

Ohio is the only state without Health Education Standards in place. Twenty states require sex education be medically, factually or technically accurate. Ohio is not one of them, and we could get closer to providing that information if we included sex education under the purview of the State Board of Education, instead of this legislature.

Please oppose SB 121 until it includes the authority of the State Board of Education to address sex education as a part of health education.