Concern with HB2184

HB2184 is a slight modification of last year’s SB5395.

Comprehensive sex education was defined as being complete when the 2005 Guidelines were adopted, however, many additional topics and emphasis has been changed. Comprehensive Sex Education has become a proper name, a trademark with distinct and not readily acceptable content. That definition can shift as has been shown by this bill, new curricula and the 2005 guidelines. CSE used to mean birth control/abortion information, it now means explicit sexual situation and emphasizes LGBTQ issues.

Introduction: The Sexual health education work group is not an elected group so the control is still held only by the OSPI.

Section (1) Comprehensive sexual health principles are not adequately described and at this time most current nationwide curriculum do not meet the standards.

ii. Affirmative consent— as defined at the end of this bill. "Affirmative consent" means a conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity as a requirement before sexual activity;

This seems to be a fluid concept and nothing prevents participants from rescinding their consent at a later date. It is in the news on a regular basis. Relationships require commitment not consent to be able to care for a child, prevent disease and build healthy friendships and families. It creates a he said, she said without time or relationship limitations.

Section (1) (B) Definition of bystander training is not clear but is costly. Sexual harassment and even bullying is often done in private, time spent on proactively defining and defending personal boundaries will more likely have greater results. Bystander training is fairly new and the efficacy of it is not established.

Section (1) (B) (b) speakers, curriculum and materials may focus on certain aspects so they will not be able to be “comprehensive” as defined by including contraceptives. For example, a speaker for bystander training may not specifically deal with contraceptives or diseases. How appropriate is it to teach contraceptive information to 6th graders, age 12, when age of consent is 13 and age of legal majority for making decisions is 18 and brain development science says the executive portion of the brain is not developed until approximately 25?

This bill does not require disclosure of failure rates that greatly vary by marital status, by disease or by age of participants.

(c) The current K-12 learning standards have changed over the last 15 years. The emphasis on the legislatively approved 2005 Guidelines are not the same as the standards on the OSPI website today.

Section (2) (a) This is an unfunded mandate. According to the statewide survey of school districts many districts do NOT want to teach comprehensive sex education. Why is this legislation forcing them to violate their community standards? Districts are mandated to teach condom/HIV education that defines anal and oral sex for 5th grade. This is a contradiction that will create difficulties in implementation.

Section (2) (b), (c,) do not clarify the process for approval usage. OSPI learning standards change without input of legislators and a study group has not accountability to local communities.

Section (3) regarding availability on the web is an excellent idea.

Section (4) This is censorship that is unnecessary. Information from Websites like the CDC are available and local medical professions are capable of determining accuracy without the control of OSPI. When has the OSPI approved a sexual risk avoidance curriculum as a philosophical option in the last 15 years? What is its name?

Section (5) The Guidelines are not clear, are changeable and outside of local control. Most of the “approved” programs are spending a great deal of time and emphasis on LGBTQ which was NOT the focus of the 2005 Guidelines.

Section (6) This bill still does not clarify the conflicts with the HIV bill. Parents will still have to attend a meeting for each child, each year in order to opt the child out and most if not all CSE curricula combine HIV/AIDS as just another sexually transmitted infection. It is time to consolidate and eliminate the confusion of opting out for parents.

Section (7) OSPI has been out of compliance with their reporting for 10 years. What mechanism will be used to ensure compliance, plus obtain and disseminate this updated information to the public?