STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1618-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.C.R. No. 138

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 138 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CREATE A STUDENT-LED WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR ACTIVE INCLUSION OF DIVERSE IDENTITIES WITHIN AND BEYOND SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION, TO TEACH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE IDEAS AROUND MUTUAL RESPECT IN RELATIONSHIPS, AND TO FIND SITES OF POTENTIAL ACTIVE INCLUSION OF THESE IDENTITIES IN SEXUAL HEALTH CURRICULA, ALL WITHIN THE FRAMING PRINCIPLES OF ALOHA KEKAHI I KEKAHI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Education to form a student-led working group to address the need for active inclusion of diverse identities within and beyond sexual health education, to teach culturally responsive ideas around mutual respect in relationships, and to find sites of potential active inclusion of these identities in sexual health curricula, all within the framing principles of aloha kekahi i kekahi.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committee finds that an important tenant of Hawaiian thought is "aloha kekahi i kekahi", meaning to love, honor, and respect each other; to treat each other with mutual dignity and cordiality; and to engage with one another on the basis of mutual kindness, caring, and love. Your Committee further finds that because of the Hawaii's limited size and resources, it is vital to respect and celebrate the diverse racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, disability, and other identities that exist in the State. Your Committee notes that at the 2021 Hawaii Youth Summit, students specifically requested action to ensure that sexual health education curriculum includes accurate and affirmative representations of diverse gender and other identities. Your Committee believes that students have a clear understanding of the issues and problems in their schooling and that a student-led working group will give students a voice in crafting their own futures and those of generations to come.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 138 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair