Sex ed changes in Oklahoma would leave kids at risk of sexual violence
Oklahoma legislators are considering a bill that would make it harder for students to protect themselves from sexual assault and abuse.
House Bill 3120 would flip state law on its head and require parents to opt students into health education classes about their bodies, staying safe in relationships and avoiding predators. Current law gives parents the choice to hold their students out of these lessons.
As a former school board member and educator, I know how hard administrators and educators work to help kids make the best decisions they can, based on facts and the students’ values.
And it works: When Tulsa Public Schools provided health information to students, they discovered a drop in teen birth rates.
Oklahoma has the fourth-highest teen birth rate, and the proposed change in state law would mean more unwanted pregnancies because students didn’t receive important facts about reproduction and how their bodies work.
It makes no sense to have an overreaching state mandate that makes it harder for young people to receive comprehensive, evidence-based, age-appropriate information.
More: Proposed changes in rules for school sex ed would stigmatize LGBTQ+ people, expert says
Additionally, HB 3120 even bans discussing the subject of consent. Honestly, it’s hard for me to understand why anyone ― including a state legislator ― would oppose teaching kids that they’re allowed to say no to people who want to touch them inappropriately.
Politicians putting up roadblocks to health education leaves children more vulnerable to groomers and human traffickers.
In short: HB 3120 means depriving young people of critical information about themselves and leaves them vulnerable to abuse.
Remember this fact ― existing law protects parents’ right to choose; this approach is appropriate and not under attack. But HB 3120 would mean many more students left in the dark and at risk of sexual violence.
It doesn’t have to be like this. Legislators should respect our current laws, which provide reasonable guidelines for health education. It’s best for our kids, and it’s best for our state.
Carrie Coppernoll Jacobs served on the Board of Education for Oklahoma City Public Schools from 2016 to 2022.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma sex ed bill would leave kids vulnerable to abuse
