Kansas committee hears competing views on bill to require fetal-development video in school coursework

Senate Bill 275 would require Kansas school districts to include a human fetal-development presentation in any course or instruction that addresses human growth or human development, a committee heard. The bill, read into the record at the start of the hearing, specifies a presentation of “high quality computer generated animation or high definition ultrasound of at least 3 minutes in duration” that shows development of the brain, heart and other vital organs and would take effect July 1 upon publication in the statute book.

Supporters told the Senate committee the requirement would close a gap in students’ scientific understanding. David Prentice, a cell, molecular and developmental biologist and policy advisor who testified as a proponent, said, “I support this legislation because it will fill in a gap that we have. The dearth of understanding about prenatal human development really needs to be addressed even for students at the earliest ages with scientifically accurate and age appropriate education.” Prentice described embryology as essential to scientific literacy and cited stages of organ development (he said eyes begin forming at about…