Dear Parents and Guardians,
We hope this letter finds you well. We want to inform you about an important update in Ohio's education curriculum that affects your child's school experience. Ohio’s 134th General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 288, which updated the prescribed curriculum for health education, adding requirements related to child sexual abuse prevention, dating violence prevention, and sexual violence prevention.
The
law,
Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.60 includes requirements for student instruction, parent and legal guardian notification, and training for school personnel.
- Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, schools are required to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention to students in grades kindergarten through six.
- Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, schools are required to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in dating violence prevention education and sexual violence prevention education to students in grades seven through twelve.
This instruction will take place in the coming weeks. Mount Vernon Middle School and High School students will be utilizing a video series from Fight Child Abuse.Org, an Ohio Department of Education-approved curriculum that fulfills the requirements of
Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.60.
You may preview preview the series that will be presented to your child by going to the following website:
https://fightchildabuse.org/ Please make sure that you select the age-appropriate videos for your child. 6th-grade students will watch the ‘4-6’ series and 7-12 students will watch the ‘Teen’ series. There will be seven video lessons shared with students with a brief introduction and follow-up as necessary. The ‘Teen’ series videos are listed below. The 4-6 Series is slightly different..
- Teenagers and Sexual Abuse
- Online Sexual Abuse Can Happen
- Friends Can Help Stop Sexual Abuse
- Say No to Prevent Sexual Abuse
- Grooming and Sexual Abuse
- Sexual Abuse in the Family
- Don’t Let Pressure End up as Sexual Abuse.
We understand that every family is unique, and the educational needs of each student may vary. As a result, the law allows parents and legal guardians to request that their child be excused from taking instruction in child sexual abuse prevention. Please complete the
Google Opt-Out Form if you wish to opt your child out of this particular instruction. Your child's opt-out status will remain active through the 2023-2024 school year.
We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions or require further information regarding this new legislation or the curriculum changes it brings. Our staff is available to assist and address any concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
William Seder Jr.