03/01/2023 03:30 PM Senate EDUCATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB43 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 43 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 1, 2023
3:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Löki Tobin, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens, Vice Chair
Senator Jesse Bjorkman
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present.
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 43
"An Act relating to health and personal safety education; and
providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 43
SHORT TITLE: HEALTH AND PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GRAY-JACKSON
01/18/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/18/23 (S) EDC, HSS
03/01/23 (S) EDC AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
BESSE ODOM, Staff
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided the sectional analysis for SB 43.
DR. ROBIN HOLMES, representing self
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 43.
NICOLE MORENTSON, Education Manager
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified by invitation on SB 43.
TARALYNN CHESLEY, Teen Council Member
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on Health and
Personal Safety.
TAYLOR STEWART, Teen Council Member
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Co-presented a presentation on Health and
Personal Safety.
KELLY MANNING, Deputy Director
Division of Innovation and Education Excellence
Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided an overview of the fiscal note for
SB 43.
PATRICK MARTIN, Development Director
Alaska Right to Life
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
APRIL SMITH, representing self
North Pole, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
VALORRAINE DATTAN, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of 43.
ERICA GRIFFITH, representing self
Eagle River, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to 43.
KANEEKA AUSTIN, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
XAVIER REYNOLDS, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
NICOLE DAVIS, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
JAMIE GIBSON, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
KC CASORT, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
ERIN MOROTTI, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
JULIE SMYTH, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
JAY MCDONALD, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
TAMARA KRUSE ROSELIUS, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
BUZZ KELLEY, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
JENNIE STEWART, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
DANA WASSMANN, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
REILY DIXSON, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
MARC PENNO, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
GALE PENNO, representing self
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
IRENE BORTNICK, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
JULIE WHATMOUGH, representing self
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 43.
THERESA GROVES, representing self
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in opposition to SB 43.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:32:37 PM
CHAIR LÖKI TOBIN called the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Senators Gray-Jackson, Stevens, Kiehl, Bjorkman, and Chair
Tobin.
SB 43-HEALTH AND PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION
3:33:27 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 43
"An Act relating to health and personal safety education; and
providing for an effective date."
CHAIR TOBIN said the committee received a large form document
from Alaska Right to Life opposing SB 43. It is available on
BASIS. Alaska Statute 14.03.016 allows a parent to withdraw a
child from any curricula contained within SB 43.
3:35:15 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON, District G, sponsor of SB 43, work order
33-LS0299\A, provided the following statement:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Sex education is essential to young people's health,
relationships, and life goals. Young people should get
age-appropriate, medically accurate information. Young
people across Alaska deserve age-appropriate,
medically accurate information about sex,
reproduction, and healthy relationships taught in
culturally competent, inclusive ways. Sex education
should cover a wide range of topics, including healthy
and unhealthy relationships, decision-making and peer
pressure, abstinence, communication, consent, body
image, media literacy and critical thinking, birth
control, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
But many students in Alaska don't have access to the
information and skills they need to protect their
health because our state does not have comprehensive
requirements for sex education in public schools. Sex
education can equip young people with the skills they
need for a lifetime of good health, including the
ability to have healthy relationships, make decisions
for themselves, think critically about the world, be a
good ally to those who are different, and love
yourself for who you are. Comprehensive, medically
accurate sexual health education is the best way to
help young people stay healthy. Senate Bill 43 allows
schools to teach medically and age-appropriate
curricula regarding personal and sexual health.
3:37:16 PM
BESSE ODOM, Staff, Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided the sectional analysis for
SB 43 as follows:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Section 1: This section amends AS 14.03.120, the
Statute regarding public school reports on school
performance and planning by adding a new subsection.
This new subsection requires a summary and evaluation
of health and personal safety.
Section 2: This section amends AS 14.16.050 by adding
personal safety program standards.
Section 3: This section amends AS 14.30.360, by adding
conforming language as seen in section 2. This section
is also amended to mandate a health and personal
safety education curriculum. Additionally, this
section adds a new subsection. This new subsection
requires medically and scientifically accurate
information for curriculum and defines "voluntary
consent."
Section 4: Adds a new subsection that sets
requirements for the health and personal safety
education program curriculum.
Section 5: Repeals AS 14.30.361.
Section 6: This section sets an effective date of June
30, 2024.
3:39:00 PM
CHAIR TOBIN announced invited testimony on SB 43.
3:40:01 PM
DR. ROBIN HOLMES, representing self, Homer, Alaska, testified by
invitation in support of SB 43. She clarified that she is not
speaking on behalf of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic. She
said she is a family physician licensed in Alaska and practices
primarily in Homer. She has dedicated her career to the
improvement of the lives of Alaskans from infancy to adulthood.
She supports SB 43 as it aligns with the administration's goals
to prioritize the health of families and children. Medical
organizations state that sexual health education should be
medically accurate, evidence-based, and age-appropriate. She
said that as a provider who educates young people and their
families about sexual and reproductive health, she knows the
importance of using respectful and non-judgmental language. She
said using respectful language allows her to care for her
patients and work towards a healthier community. She stated her
belief that SB 43 would allow all Alaskans to feel respected.
MS. HOLMES said sex education is essential for young people to
thrive. They understand the importance of safety, consent, and
respect through education, but they also begin to understand
their own bodily autonomy and personal agency. Young people can
make informed, thoughtful decisions when given the tools. SB 43
would require Alaska's sex education curriculum to include the
following and more: instruction on human development, sexuality,
reproduction, contraception, pregnancy, prevention, and sexually
transmitted infections. She stated she addresses these issues in
her office daily, and frequently it is a youth's first
introduction to the topics. Doctor offices can be intimidating
to kids, and most do not visit a doctor often.
3:42:22 PM
MS. HOLMES said teaching about sexual health should not differ
from discussing general health. Stigmatizing sexual education
fails young people. Sex education in schools is an opportunity
to improve public health in Alaska, which has an epidemic of
babies born with syphilis, leads the nation in chlamydia rates,
and is behind the rest of the country in Human Papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccinations and Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. She stated she
should not be the first person to tell people in their 20s that
there was a vaccination they could have gotten to prevent having
cervical cancer. Institutions within Alaska have the power to
ensure young people know about critical sexual health tools such
as vaccines. The same institutions can help Alaskans learn about
sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, identification,
and treatment. Twenty percent of new human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) cases are in people aged 13 - 24. She had to tell a
young person they were HIV positive, even though three federally
approved medications exist to prevent it. Educating youth can
help end the global pandemic that has been fought for two
generations. Comprehensive sex education can also play a role in
reducing unplanned pregnancies among people of all ages. Young
people deserve to have information about contraception and
information about the challenges of parenting.
MS. HOLMES said some youth turn to trusted adults for
information. However, adults do not always know the critical
information a youth needs. Also, many children do not have a
trusted adult with whom they can talk. She stated that
comprehensive sex education in public schools must be a standard
expectation for youth to thrive. SB 43 allows Alaskan youth to
step into the world as healthy adults.
3:45:37 PM
NICOLE MORENTSON, Education Manager, Planned Parenthood Great
Northwest, Juneau, Alaska, provided a brief work history and
gave the following testimony on SB 43:
[Original punctuation provided.]
In order to see improvement in health outcomes for
Alaskan youth, we must increase health awareness and
access to sexual health education in schools. Through
education and promotion, our collective goal is to
improve health outcomes for our Alaskan youth so that
we see improvement in the statistics that were
referred to by prior testimony. What we know in the
public health and education field is that our youth
need opportunities to access medically accurate and
age-appropriate information about their bodies and
relationships in order to make informed choices about
their health. Comprehensive sexual health education
does just that. By providing developmentally
appropriate standards for sexual health education in
K-12 grade levels, we can ensure that what is being
taught is consistent across our state and that youth
have less need to seek out information about sex from
unreliable or unsafe resources like the internet,
exploitative situations and misguided peers.
The overwhelming majority of people in Alaska wasn't
young people to have access to sexual health education
- in a 2019 survey, over 90 percent of Alaskan voters
agreed that sexual health education should be
medically accurate, age-appropriate, and should cover
healthy relationships, consent, and communication
skills, all core aspects of SB 43. Sex education is
widely supported by medical associations and public
health experts, like the American Academy of
Pediatrics and the Alaska Association of Student
Governments. In fact, Alaska Public Health Association
recently passed resolutions in support of legislation
like SB 43, and the state of Alaska already recommends
sexual health education standards in the Alaska Skills
for a Health Life. The majority of people support
sexual health education, including more the 90 percent
of parents.
3:49:00 PM
MS. MORTENSON continued her testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
SB 43 specifically addresses the concern that there is
no standardization for how sexual health is taught in
Alaskan schools. The combination of most teacher
preparation programs not providing guidance for sexual
health topics in schools and our state not offering
clear guidelines on what is medically accurate, free
of values, and age appropriate, leaves it up to
interpretation of each individual teacher to decide
what is taught to our youth. We standardize learning
goals for all other topics in schools like math,
science, reading and English- we should have the same
standards and guidelines for sexual health education.
Creating standards prevents dissemination of
inaccurate information or misguided values.
Comprehensive sex education is essential to young
people's health, relationships, and life goals.
Current research shows that when youth have access to
comprehensive sexual health education that includes
information on abstinence, methods to prevent
unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease
prevention and healthy relationships teens wait longer
to have sex and are less likely to experience an
unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease.
Comprehensive sexual health education also covers life
skills topics like decision making, resisting peer
pressure, communication, consent, media literacy and
critical thinking. We know that sex education should
be culturally specific, taught each school year by a
trained educator, so that youth of all backgrounds and
abilities have the skills they need to lead a healthy
life.
3:50:53 PM
MS. MORTENSON continued her testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
This bill could require that this life changing
information be taught to youth across our state, while
still allowing for flexibility in how the information
is taught an what curriculum is used to meet the
required standards. We know that school districts and
communities can ensure the content is culturally
specific and relevant to each of their communities,
while understanding that just like any other content
area, standards guide the information being taught.
This bill requires that the guidelines are consistent
with the National Sexuality Education Standards: Core
Content and Skills, K-12, which outlines age-
appropriate learning standards. This bill will also
still allow parents to opt their children out of
sexual health education at school if they prefer to
provide education at home.
It is true that this bill covers grades K-12, and the
topics will build upon each other each year. SB 157
requires that all health education be age appropriate
- that means providing information to guide youth as
they grow in their human development. For example,
referencing the National Sexuality Education
standards, the guidelines require that starting in
kindergarten through 2nd grade, students will learn
how to identify family structures; describe
characteristics of a friend; why bullying and teasing
are wrong, and most importantly explains that all
people, including children, have the right to tell
others not to tough their body when they do not want
to be touched and who to go to if this happens. Next,
in 3rd - 5th grade these topics are expanded and start
to prepare them for what to experience as they reach
puberty and continues to discuss topics around
friendship communication. An example of what would be
taught in 6th-8th grade is describing the advantages
and disadvantages of communicating using technology
and social media. These standards will ensure students
are equipped with accurate information to deal with
what is happening at their developmental stage.
3:53:23 PM
MS. MORTENSON continued her testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
In my experience teaching sexual health education in
the classroom, it is critical that students receive
medically accurate information without judgment or
shame. One of the ways we work towards that is by
providing a space for students to ask anonymous
questions. Most of these questions come from
information they may have seen or heard about online
or from friends - they are really trying to understand
if their bodies and their experiences are normal. Here
are some questions I have received that reflect the
failure of our current system to inform our students
about common myths and misconceptions about sexual
health. For example:
"Can mountain dew prevent pregnancy?" "How do I break
up with an abusive partner safely?" "Is my body
normal?" "What do I do if my partner doesn't want to
use condoms?" or shock from the class when I share
that the most common symptom of an STI is no symptom
at all because of preconceived notions that they will
be able to visibly tell if they have one.
With this bill in place, we can ensure these questions
are answered in a medically accurate, evidence-based,
age-appropriate way for all youth across our state.
Considerable research, including from the CDC shows
that comprehensive sex ed reduces sexual risk
behaviors and STIs. It is also associated with delayed
initiation of sex, fewer sexual partners, and more
widespread use of condoms and contraceptives.
3:55:17 PM
MS. MORTENSON continued her testimony:
[Original punctuation provided.]
We also need sex ed to be inclusive, which means
ensuring that curriculum resonates will all students,
regardless of gender, gender identity, race,
disability status, religion, or sexual orientation.
Our educators have shared multiple instances where a
student has approached them after a lesson to share
how much it meant for them to see themselves in the
curriculum. We know creating spaces where all students
feel welcomed, valued, and represented can increase
student attendance, grades, and lower suicidality and
prevent child abuse. Comprehensive sex ed also teaches
people to be a good ally to those who are different.
We need to support the need for youth to have
information about their bodies and relationships
normalized to support the social and emotional changes
that they go through, provide medically accurate
answers to their questions, ensure they have the
knowledge to seek the necessary health care for them,
and empower youth to have power and agency over their
lives and bodies. I request that each of you support
this legislation to ensure our young people have the
skills and knowledge they need to lead healthier
lives.
3:56:47 PM
CHAIR TOBIN acknowledged Senator Kiehl arrived.
3:57:16 PM
TAYLOR STEWART, Teen Council Member, Planned Parenthood Great
Northwest, Anchorage, Alaska, introduced herself and co-
presented Health and Personal Safety SB 43.
3:57:29 PM
TARALYNN CHESLEY, Teen Council Member, Planned Parenthood Great
Northwest, Anchorage, Alaska, introduced herself and co-
presented Health and Personal Safety SB 43.
3:57:36 PM
MS. STEWART said she is a junior in high school, and it is her
second year in Teen Council. Comprehensive sex education is a
major tool that needs implementing for the future of Alaska
regarding protection against abuse, violence, unhealthy
relationships, unplanned pregnancies, and infectious diseases.
3:58:14 PM
MS. STEWART turned to slide 2, Overview, and said the
presentation would address the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
1. Teen Council - Who we are
2. Major Alaska Issues
a. Consent and Safe Relationships
i. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Rates in Youth
b. STI rates amongst teenagers
3. Effects of Comprehensive Sexual Education
a. Comprehensive sex-ed in Washington
4. Our stories
3:58:42 PM
MS. STEWART turned to slide 3, Teen Council, and spoke to the
following points:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Anchorage
• 15 members
• Extensive Training
• Formal and Informal Education
• Peer Led Sex Ed
3:59:50 PM
MS. CHESLEY moved to slide 4, Consent and Safe Relationships,
and spoke to the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Alaska has the highest rate of sexual assault and rape in
the nation.
• Sexual assault of a minor in Alaska is six times the
national average. The median age is 9 years old.
• Alaska does not require sex education.
• Alaska does not require sex ed to teach about consent, or
for any sex ed to be medically accurate.
• 13.7 percent of people in Alaska have experienced some form
of sexual abuse, estimated to be the highest in the country
4:01:06 PM
MS. STEWART advanced to slides 5 - 7, STI Rates in Alaska, she
stated the slides contain information graphics that support the
following points:
[Original punctuation provided.]
• Alaska consistently has one of the worst rates for
STIs in the country
• Alaska is suffering from climbing gonorrhea rates
moving to the second highest in the country
• Alaska reported a rate of 303.7 cases per 100,000
people in 2018
• Alaska has had the highest rate of chlamydia in the
country since 2001
• In the 2018 CDC STI survey Alaska reported a rate of
832.5 cases per 100,000 people
• Alaska also had an increase in syphilis spread
reporting a 24 percent increase over the 2020 total
last year
• Some of these cases where congenital meaning they
were in babies born to infected mothers
• This is especially dangerous because this can be
fatal in infants
• 89 percent of these cases occur in urban residents
• Alaska Public Media: one major contributor to this is
the low median age in Alaska
• "Rates of sexually transmitted infections 'tend to
be higher among teens and young adults,'" - Clinton
Bennett, Alaska Department of Health spokesperson
4:02:51 PM
MS. CHESLEY moved to slide 8 and spoke to the effects of
comprehensive sex education:
[Original punctuation provided.]
According to the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
• Reduces rates of sexual risk behaviors and STIs
in teenagers
• Associated with delayed initiation of sex, fewer
sexual partners, and more widespread use of
condoms and contraceptives
• Helps teach healthy relationships and good
communication skills before young people become
sexually active
4:04:07 PM
MS. STEWART said she has seen the impact of sex education and
its vital role in enabling people to advocate for and protect
themselves even though she has only been a member for two years.
She relayed two personal conversations with students that
illustrate the importance of sex education and its vital role in
enabling people to advocate and protect themselves. The first
story demonstrated the importance of effective birth control and
accurate information. The second conversation was with a
sexually active adult who did not know the most common symptoms
of STIs and where to receive testing. She stated she supports SB
43 because it would educate people about sex.
4:08:13 PM
MS. CHESLEY said she is a junior at Stellar Secondary School in
Anchorage but is originally from Bristol Bay. It is her second
year on Teen Council. She stated that as a student, her
education on sex consisted of one day in fifth grade and Brea's
Law in High school. Other than this, most of what she has
learned has been from jokes, media, and random internet
searches. She said she would have benefitted from having a sex
education teacher or mentor starting in middle school when
students began talking more about sex and showing affection. She
became a member of Teen Council out of a desire to know more
about abstinence, birth control, consent, communication,
anatomy, safe sex, safe relationships, and more. She said that
as an LGBT Alaskan Native, she had never found a space where she
felt entirely comfortable. Joining the Teen Council has made her
feel empowered within her own body. She can converse comfortably
with her healthcare provider because of what she has learned at
Teen Council. Accessibility to accurate sex education
information is limited in villages because resources are
minimal. Everyone deserves access to medically accurate
information. Alaskan Native women and youth have the highest
domestic violence rates in the US. She said a teen mom told her
that access to sex education and condoms was unavailable in her
village. Sex education is fundamental for everyone because
everyone should have access to information that helps them make
informed decisions. She stated that while sharing information
with others through Teen Council is empowering, not everyone
knows about the organization. Schools should teach sex
education. She opined that today's youth are the next
generation, and if the legislature passes SB 43, it will heal a
generational wound.
4:13:56 PM
SENATOR STEVENS thanked the presenters for their bravery in
sharing their thoughts with the committee.
4:14:15 PM
CHAIR TOBIN agreed and asked Ms. Manning to discuss the fiscal
notes for SB 43.
4:14:39 PM
KELLY MANNING, Deputy Director, Division of Innovation and
Education Excellence, Department of Education and Early Child
Development (DEED) Juneau, Alaska, said the department provided
a fiscal note that breaks down the costs of updating its
standards to align with SB 43:
[Original punctuation provided.]
(1) $30.0 for $1.5 stipends for 20 parents and
qualified stakeholders for their year long
participation in the research and authoring of the
standards, 2) $35.0 contract for a national Personal
Safety Health Education expert to facilitate the
standards process and professional development
materials, and 3) $6.0 for legal fees to implement the
necessary regulation changes.
DEED plans to hold the necessary stakeholder
engagement meetings with participating stakeholders
virtually and to publish and disseminate the new
health education/sexual health standards
electronically.
Transition language provides the State Board of
Education and Early Development two years to develop
health and personal safety guidelines. A multi-year
appropriation of $71.0 covering FY2024 and FY2025
would allow the department to expend funding over the
two years.
4:17:13 PM
CHAIR TOBIN opened public testimony on SB 43.
4:18:20 PM
PATRICK MARTIN, Development Director, Alaska Right to Life,
Wasilla, Alaska, testified in opposition to SB 43 and saying the
petitions submitted to the committee were not form letters. The
letters differ significantly, and Alaskans' deeply held beliefs
and convictions should not be disparaged. Another concern is
that SB 43 repeals AS 12.30.361. A key component of the statute
is that school boards approve all curriculum, literature, and
materials related to sex education, human reproduction
education, and human sexuality and that it is available for
parental review. SB 43 retains a parent's right to opt their
children out of the curriculum but removes their seat at the
table. He referenced the National Sex Education Standards
(NSES), Core Content Skills K - 12 curriculum that SB 43 would
require and questioned how age-appropriate and scientifically
accurate standards are determined. He opined that SB 43 has a
distinct bias against children in the womb. He encouraged all
senators on the education committee to vote no on SB 43.
4:21:26 PM
APRIL SMITH, representing self, North Pole, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 and saying she agrees that Alaskan students
deserve quality sex education. The state sets standards in many
areas of education that are non-controversial. The introduction
of SB 43 mentioned that it would allow districts to provide sex
education to students. However, school districts are already
allowed to teach sex education. SB 43 would specify what
districts must teach. She opined that parents and guardians fill
the roles Senator Jackson mentioned, not the government. The
values in SB 43 are not neutral. The definition of family is a
moral value. SB 43 would put forward the government's non-
neutral definition of family, casual sex at any age,
contraception, abortion, LGBT sexuality, and sex as a human
right. Medical facts presented in the NSES can be refuted with
alternate medical peer-reviewed published studies. Abortion and
contraception facts are highly debated. "Misled adults" is a
code phrase for families teaching values contrary to government
values and "challenges of parenting" as code for abortion. She
stated her desire that local control be respected and leave the
statute as it stands.
4:24:09 PM
VALORRAINE DATTAN, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska,
testified in support of 43 because Alaska has unacceptably high
rates of sexual assault, STIs, and unintended pregnancies,
especially among younger people. Providing young people with
age-appropriate information is vital to keep them safe. It is in
people's best interest for educators to teach formal
standardized education in all grade levels. SB 43 does not
remove a parent's right to opt their children out of sex
education classes.
4:25:33 PM
ERICA GRIFFITH, representing self, Eagle River, Alaska,
testified in opposition to SB 43 saying she had been a military
and civilian nurse in Alaska for six years. People are claiming
that SB 43 will teach health education that is culturally
appropriate and medically accurate. However, what is medically
accurate is no longer considered culturally appropriate,
specifically regarding apparent biological and immutable
differences between men and women. Suggesting a national
standardized curriculum could achieve both is a farce. People
entrust schools with educating children. Parents are charged
with safeguarding their children and raising them in a manner
congruent with their beliefs. AS 14.30.361 ensures that school
boards have the right to approve sex education materials, and
parents have the right to review the materials. AS 14.30.361
requires specific licensing and accreditation standards. She
said if the purpose of SB 43 is to ensure children learn
medically accurate and comprehensive information, the repeal of
AS 14.30.361 should not be required or desired. She opined that
it is not the role of the education system to use schools as a
platform to promote an advanced, politically charged, and
morally questionable ideology in the minds of young citizens.
She stated that her concern is to maintain cultural
appropriateness and that the social constructs of abortion and
gender are not endorsed.
4:27:34 PM
KANEEKA AUSTIN, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified
in opposition to SB 43 and saying schools can already teach sex
education. Although sex education is important, she disagrees
with sex education for kindergarteners.
4:28:32 PM
XAVIER REYNOLDS, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified
in opposition to SB 43 and saying he identifies as a black male
from Georgia, where schools taught sex education. Teaching sex
education made people more curious about sex, resulting in more
babies and STIs. Teaching sex education in K - 5 grades is
disgusting and should not happen. Sex education is very
important when it is age-appropriate, starting in 8th grade. He
said he would be an angry parent if SB 43 passes.
4:29:54 PM
NICOLE DAVIS, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 and said she knows some of the people who
influenced the meeting. She stated it is concerning that SB 43
was reviewed quickly, not all the information about it was
presented, and the hearing was held at a time difficult for
parents to attend. She said the state is attempting to take the
place of parents. It is not the school's responsibility, and it
hurts children. SB 43 will also hurt school districts because
parents will remove their children from public education if SB
43 passes. She fears women will not learn the emotional
consequences of abortion. It would be medically and
scientifically accurate to teach people that only two biological
sexes exist. However, it will not be taught based on what has
been presented. Changing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) sounds less scary and
harsh. She opined that society risks increasing child grooming,
sexual abuse, and assault when educators play the role of
parents. She urged a no vote on SB 43.
4:32:40 PM
JAMIE GIBSON, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 43 and said that when she attended Lathrop High
School, she did not receive a useful, medically accurate sex
education. Abstinence was encouraged, birth control was not
easily accessible, and students became pregnant due to a lack of
knowledge. More than 46 percent of sexually active students
reported not using a condom the last time they had sex. Alaska
has high rates of STIs. It is second in the nation for gonorrhea
and third for chlamydia and syphilis. Alaska also has the
highest report of rape, yet it does not require instruction on
sex education or consent. Children are the future, so teach them
age-appropriate, medically accurate information about sex
education.
4:34:11 PM
KC CASORT, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 43. She said she graduated from West Valley High
School and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She stated that
she and ninety percent of Alaskans believe sex education should
be medically accurate and age-appropriate. It should cover
relationships, consent, and communication skills. Her family and
school did not discuss sex education. She stated her belief that
had she received sex education, her first partnership would have
been healthier, and she would not be dealing with its
repercussions. Alaska's rate of child sexual assault is six
times the national average. All young Alaskans deserve the tools
to be safe and healthy. She urged the passage of SB 43.
4:36:14 PM
ERIN MOROTTI, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 43 saying that according to a recent Alaska youth
behavior survey, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys would be victims
of child sexual abuse by 18. In 2015, the Office of Children's
Service investigated 1,272 reports of child sexual abuse by
immediate or extended family members. One in 10 high school
students reported being physically or sexually abused by their
daily partner. According to the National Association of School
Nurses, there is a link between academic achievement and student
health. Sex education helps:
• Prevent dating violence and bullying.
• Develop healthier relationships.
• Delays sexual initiation.
• Reduce unplanned pregnancies.
• Reduce HIV and other STIs.
• Reduce sexual health disparities among LGBTQ youth.
• Correct media, peer, and parental misinformation.
MS. MOROTTI stated she wholeheartedly supports SB 43 for these
reasons. She is grateful sex education is offered in her school
district and would love to see it provided across the state. She
opined that SB 43 does not reduce parental rights. The fiscal
note states that 20 parents and qualified stakeholders will
participate in a year-long group that will research and author
the standards if SB 43 passes.
4:38:33 PM
JULIE SMYTH, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 43 because of her sex education experience in
Fairbanks, where she was born and raised. She stated that it is
the community's responsibility to prepare students for the real
world. It cannot be assumed that parents or foster parents are
educated enough to impart the information. She described the
limited sex education information she received at public and
private church schools. After graduating, she married. She did
not realize the relationship was abusive because her husband did
not hit her. She did not understand why she got urinary tract
infections when she had sex, or that forced sex was wrong and
illegal. She learned after her divorce that she had contracted
an STI from her unfaithful husband. She stated she also had no
preparation for sex with other genders as someone who was
bisexual. She is not the only LGBT+ person to grow up in Alaska.
4:41:19 PM
JAY MCDONALD, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 saying it has specifically vague language
about personal safety and sexual health and wished it used
accurate words to describe the learning objectives. He opined
that it does not use clear language because less than 10 percent
of Alaskans want government schools to tell kindergarteners that
sex is an infinite spectrum. Alaskan parents do not want the
government encouraging young children to be gender creative at
school, adopt made-up neo pronouns, or change their name or
gender. Alaskan parents do not want government schools coaching
children on how to keep sexual secrets from parents. Some
teachers wish they could focus on reading, writing, and math
without being forced to indoctrinate kids into radical left-wing
social theory. Alaska's students already rank 48th, 49th, and
50th in standardized testing. He stipulated that SB 43 will
further reduce student performance due to time lost teaching
other subjects. He stated his belief that government schools
have been violating state statutes requiring parental
notification and consent. He opined that SB 43 would damage the
bond between children and parents. SB 43 should be withdrawn.
4:42:51 PM
TAMARA KRUSE ROSELIUS, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska,
testified in support of SB 43 because Alaska has no requirement
to teach age-appropriate medically accurate sex education
classes. Alaska has high rates of STIs, increasing rates of HIV,
and too many teen pregnancies. Alaska also has the highest rate
of recorded rape in the US. She said ignoring these statistics
borders on negligence to students. Students need more access to
accurate information in schools. Learning from a trusted
individual is better than from dubious online information. Over
90 percent of Alaskan voters agree that sex education should be
medically accurate, age-appropriate, and include healthy
relationships, consent, and communication skills. She asked the
committee to support young Alaskans by voting yes on SB 43.
4:44:23 PM
BUZZ KELLEY, representing self, Wasilla, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 for two reasons. First, the material is not
subject to parental review. Second, homosexuality, gender
confusion, and abortion are issues that schools should not
teach. Education in school should focus on reading, writing, and
math.
4:45:18 PM
JENNIE STEWART, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified
in support of SB 43. SB 43 is a safety issue, not an opinion
issue. Her job as a parent is to keep her daughter safe and
equip her with the tools necessary to protect herself. Sex
education discusses topics where a lack of education can lead to
cancer, HIV, sexual assault, and unwanted pregnancies. She
stated she is not a medically trained individual who can provide
accurate scientific information on every issue. Statute
frequently allows parents to control their child's education by
opting out of a class. She opined that she should have the same
parental right to inform her child by opting in. She reasoned
that schools do not outsource other science-based education
subjects to parents who are uneducated in science. Failing to
pass SB 43 forces her to be an unqualified sex education
teacher.
4:46:52 PM
DANA WASSMANN, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified
in support of SB 43 because alarming statistics show Alaska
needs medically accurate sex education in public schools. She
stated she is a mother and foster parent who teaches her
children the importance of boundaries, bodily autonomy, and
safety by reading them age-appropriate books. She teaches them
to inform a trusted grown-up if they feel unsafe. Last year
while reading a book, a foster child disclosed abuse that had
gone unreported. She said it was heartbreaking to hear a young
child learn for the first time that what happened was wrong. She
wondered how many children in Alaska's public schools experience
abuse but do not realize there are safe adults they can approach
for help. She also said a newborn baby was abandoned in a
cardboard box at a mailbox in Fairbanks on December 31, 2021,
with a handwritten note left by the baby's teenage mother asking
someone to care for the baby. She said she wondered what
education the teenage mother received regarding sex, safe
surrender, and safety at home. She asked the committee to vote
yes on SB 43.
4:48:58 PM
REILY DIXSON, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in
support of SB 43 and said she graduated from West Valley High
School and now attends college. She said she knows too many
people affected by the lack of proper sex education. Alaska has
high rates of STIs and sexual assault. It has the highest rate
of reported rape in the US. Passing SB 43 will educate Alaska's
youth and support young people. She said that as a queer Alaskan
Native who has survived rape, she urges the passage of SB 43.
4:50:01 PM
MARC PENNO, representing self, Wasilla, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 because it takes away the rights of parents
to review school curriculums. He further questions what age-
appropriate sex education means for kindergarteners. He opined
that overexposure to sexuality and sexual gratification are
responsible for many of the problems teenagers face. He opined
that sex starts too early and SB 43 increases the exposure. SB
43 indoctrinates children regarding abortion, family, parental
roles, gender modification, hormone blockers, and surgery. The
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
(SIECUS) advocates abortion marketing in schools, discriminates
against expressing biological sex in sports, and opposes life
beginning at conception. He opined that if people returned to
morals, values, and God, society would have less confusion and
disparity. He said he stands in total opposition to SB 43.
4:51:54 PM
GALE PENNO, representing self, Wasilla, Alaska, testified in
opposition to SB 43 saying many children today suffer from
psychosocial and antisocial disorders that parents,
professionals, and ministries can best address. The sex
education proposed in SB 43 is not the solution and would likely
cause more problems and confusion to children. She opined that
some of what SB 43 proposes equates to child abuse.
4:52:35 PM
IRENE BORTNICK, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified
in support of SB 43 saying she is a retired schoolteacher and
the mother of four Anchorage School District graduates. She
opined that kindergarten is not too young to be taught sex
education. She said she taught children about abuse, safety, and
empowerment. She did not teach children about sexual
intercourse, but she did teach children about touching and what
to do if they felt unsafe. All children need these skills; they
do not always get them from home. School districts should add
more age-appropriate information to the curriculum as children
age. She asked the legislature to pass SB 43 so that every child
in Alaska receives the same information and skills to keep them
informed, healthy, and safe.
4:54:01 PM
JULIE WHATMOUGH, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified
in support of SB 43 saying she is an energy health practitioner
who frequently talks to people about mind, body, and spiritual
healing along with sexual health, understanding, and trauma. She
said that when she was in basic training, people had inaccurate
health information because schools did not offer sex education.
She supports boys and girls learning about each other's
reproductive systems. She opined that teaching consent should be
mandatory to preserve the safety of children, especially younger
children. Teaching about STIs will reduce stigma, provide proper
education, and encourage people to seek treatment.
4:56:39 PM
THERESA GROVES, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified
in opposition to SB 43 saying that it is flawed. She opined that
too many people provide emotional stories of personal history,
marital dysfunction, and religious experiences that are not a
school's responsibility. The family unit and other age-
appropriate venues should be the resources used for sex
education. SB 42 is problematic because it requires teaching
national content standards, which undermines local control.
Every community has different tolerances for controversial
issues. SB 43 would demand that all communities indoctrinate
students with unsettled controversial ideas and standards. She
stated her belief that the current statute adequately encourages
districts to teach sex education and dating safety. However,
opt-out should be changed to opt-in. The legislature continually
adds more responsibility to teachers and wonders why student
test scores are falling and people are dissatisfied with public
education. She asked that the legislature reserve parental
rights for parents.
4:59:08 PM
MADISON TRUITT, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska testified
in support of SB 43 saying she is a professional behavioral
health aide. She graduated from the University of Washington and
focused her studies on child development, psychology, and sexual
health psychology. She said there is significant data on the
power of sex education. Age-appropriate sex education starts
with children learning boundaries and how to say no to unsafe
touch. Data also shows that the earlier a child enters sexual
relations, the more likely they are to experience domestic
violence and abuse. She said that studies and her work
experience show that sex education programs reduce the rate of
sexual activity, sexual risk behaviors, sexually transmitted
infections, and teen pregnancies. She said sex education in the
Netherlands is taught nationally in public schools and described
the curriculum. Data from the Netherlands shows that sex
education is highly effective. Teens in the Netherlands do not
have sex at an earlier age than in other European countries. The
rate of teen pregnancy has also decreased. Nine out of 10 teens
use contraception to prevent STIs. She urged the passage of SB
43 to provide every child with a proper education because many
parents censor their children.
5:01:44 PM
CHAIR TOBIN closed public testimony on SB 43.
5:01:53 PM
CHAIR TOBIN said a few comments needed clarification. In AS
12.30.360, the state board already establishes health and
personal safety education guidelines. SB 43, on page 4, asks
that the state board, in conjunction with parents, provide
guidelines for personal safety, as mentioned in the fiscal note.
Additionally, under AS 14.03.016 (a)(5), parents can review the
content of activities, classes, performance standards, or
programs in public schools.
5:02:45 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON thanked everyone who testified. She said SB
43 is an important time-critical piece of legislation that she
first introduced in 2019. She is grateful it received a hearing.
5:03:32 PM
CHAIR TOBIN held SB 43 in committee.
5:04:23 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Tobin adjourned the Senate Education Standing Committee
meeting at 5:04 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 43 Version A 02.25.2023.PDF |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Sponsor Statement 01.24.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Section Analysis 01.24.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Fiscal Note EED-SSA 02.13.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Supporting Document - Consent at Every Age 1.20.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Supporting Document - Contraceptive Use 1.20.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Teen Council Presentation 02.28.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Testimony Volume 1 - Received as of 02.28.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Testimony Volume 2 - Received as of 03.01.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |
| SB 43 Testimony - Alaska Right To Life Opposition Letters 03.01.2023.pdf |
SEDC 3/1/2023 3:30:00 PM |
SB 43 |