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A Change To Part Of A Bill Requiring Students Be Taught About Fetal Development And Abortion

The Ohio Statehouse
Dan Konik
The Ohio Statehouse

A bill in the Ohio House that would establish health education standards initially contained a provision that said schools, restaurants and health care providers shall post a message about how to deal with problem pregnancies on their bathroom stall doors. But that part of the bill has now been scrapped.

The bill’s said focus is to require public school and health teachers to teach about pregnancy, fetal development and abortion. Conservative Christian activist Barry Sheets said one part required signs on bathroom stalls that read:

“There are many public and private willing and able to help you carry your child to term and assist you after your child is born," Sheets read aloud in an Ohio House committee hearing.

Melissa Cropper with the Ohio Federation of Teachers testified against the bill, including that part of it that required the message on doors of bathroom stalls. She noted there could be language barriers given the makeup of Ohio's public schools, especially those in urban areas.

“We are at over 100 different languages we have in our schools.”

That part of the bill that required messages on bathroom walls has since been removed. Currently, Ohio is the only state in the country that lacks a health education standards law. 

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.
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