Section 3313.6011 | Instruction in venereal disease education emphasizing abstinence.
(A) As used in this section, "sexual activity" has the same meaning as in section 2907.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) Instruction in venereal disease education pursuant to division (A)(5)(c) of section 3313.60 of the Revised Code shall emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is one hundred per cent effective against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and the sexual transmission of a virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
(C)(1) The department of education and workforce shall require course material and instruction in venereal disease education courses taught pursuant to division (A)(5)(c) of section 3313.60 of the Revised Code to do all of the following:
(a) Stress that students should abstain from sexual activity until after marriage;
(b) Teach the potential physical, psychological, emotional, and social side effects of participating in sexual activity outside of marriage;
(c) Teach that conceiving children out of wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents, and society;
(d) Stress that sexually transmitted diseases are serious possible hazards of sexual activity;
(e) Advise students of the laws pertaining to financial responsibility of parents to children born in and out of wedlock;
(f) Advise students of the circumstances under which it is criminal to have sexual contact with a person under the age of sixteen pursuant to section 2907.04 of the Revised Code;
(g) Emphasize adoption as an option for unintended pregnancies.
(2) If a school district or school chooses to offer additional instruction in venereal disease or sexual education not specified in division (C)(1) of this section, the district or school shall notify all parents or guardians of that instruction, including the name of any instructor, vendor name, if applicable, and the name of the curriculum being used. No district or school shall offer that instruction to a student unless that student's parent or guardian has submitted written permission for that student to receive that instruction. Division (E) of this section does not apply to division (C)(2) of this section.
(3) Upon request, a school district or school shall provide any materials associated with the instruction offered under divisions (C)(1) and (2) of this section to a parent or guardian.
(D) The department shall not adopt a separate model education program for health education.
(E) The department shall conduct an annual audit of each city, local, and exempted village school district, at the start of each school year, relative to its compliance with the instruction requirements of this section and division (A)(5)(c) of section 3313.60 of the Revised Code. The department shall publish the findings of each audit not later than one hundred twenty days after the start of the school year. The department shall include in the findings of each audit the name of any organization or program that provided materials to a school district regarding venereal disease instruction. The department's findings shall be prominently posted on its web site.
(F) The director of education and workforce shall not approve, pursuant to section 3302.07 of the Revised Code, any waiver of any requirement of this section.
Last updated July 31, 2023 at 5:13 PM
Available Versions of this Section
- April 7, 2009 – House Bill 7 - 127th General Assembly [ View April 7, 2009 Version ]
- September 30, 2021 – Amended by House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly [ View September 30, 2021 Version ]
- October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 3, 2023 Version ]
- October 24, 2024 – Amended by Senate Bill 168 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 24, 2024 Version ]