Testimony submitted to the Joint Committee on Education

 In Support of “An Act Relative to Providing Health Education in Schools” – S.218-H.3434

October 13, 2009

By Elizabeth Dunn, LWVMA Specialist on Reproductive Rights

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) has a long history of supporting public policy that protects reproductive choices in Massachusetts and furthers the education of its children.  S.218-H.3434 will do both by ensuring that children everywhere in the state will get an age-appropriate education to all health related issues, including those related to their sexuality.

Research shows that medically- accurate, age-appropriate health education helps young people to stay healthy, which can only enhance their ability to learn.  However, in Massachusetts today, while some public school districts provide excellent health education, others offer little to no teaching on this subject. 

When it comes to relationships and sex, these programs teach the benefits of abstinence, while providing vital information on contraception and prevention of pregnancy and disease.  This is especially critical to improving educational achievement, given that teen pregnancy is the leading cause of dropout among young women.  These curricula also cover such critical topics as nutrition, mental health, safety, substance abuse, and violence prevention.

In 1993 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the Commonwealth must provide an adequate education for those enrolled in the public schools.  It further defined “adequacy” by requiring that students possess specific capabilities, including “sufficient self knowledge and knowledge of his or her mental and physical wellness.”  In response to this ruling, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), formerly the Department of Education (DOE), created a science-based health education framework.

Yet, to this day, the laws governing educational standards in the Commonwealth still do not explicitly recognize health education as a core subject.  As a result, there is no guarantee that the Department will continue to maintain academic standards on this subject to help local school districts meet students’ educational needs.

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts urges the members of the Joint Committee on Education to give S.218-H.3434 a favorable report and work to make it law in Massachusetts.

Thank you for your consideration.