Mount Vernon City Schools has informed parents and guardians about new health education requirements under Ohio’s Senate Bill 288. The law, enacted by the 134th General Assembly, updates the curriculum to include instruction on child sexual abuse prevention, dating violence prevention, and sexual violence prevention.
According to the district, starting in the 2023-2024 school year, schools must provide age-appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse prevention for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. For students in grades seven through twelve, the curriculum includes lessons on dating violence and sexual violence prevention.
The district announced that these lessons will take place over the coming weeks at Mount Vernon Middle School and High School. Students will use a video series from Fight Child Abuse.Org, which is approved by the Ohio Department of Education and meets state code requirements. Parents are encouraged to preview these videos at https://fightchildabuse.org/ before they are shown in class. Sixth-grade students will view the ‘4-6’ series while those in grades seven through twelve will watch the ‘Teen’ series. There are seven video lessons for teens covering topics such as recognizing sexual abuse, online safety, helping friends, resisting pressure, grooming behaviors, family situations involving abuse, and understanding peer pressure related to sexual abuse.
Parents have the option to excuse their children from this instruction by submitting a Google Opt-Out Form. If exercised, this opt-out status remains effective through the 2025-2026 school year.
“Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information regarding this new legislation or the curriculum changes it brings,” wrote Superintendent William Seder Jr., noting that last year 97.5% of students participated in the program. “Our staff is available to assist and address any concerns you may have.”
