Ohio Senate Passes Bill Requiring Schools to Teach “Success Sequence”
The Ohio Senate has passed a bill mandating schools to teach students a “success sequence”, to graduate high school, get a job, and get married before having a baby.
The bill, Senate Bill 156, sponsored by Sen. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield), passed 24–9 along party lines and would make this lesson part of the school curriculum for grades 6–12. Supporters say it will help young people “break the cycle of poverty” by encouraging responsible life choices.
However, opponents, including Democratic lawmakers, argue that the proposal oversimplifies poverty and promotes a narrow view of family life. They say addressing economic inequality requires stronger worker protections and family support, not moral prescriptions.
Similar “success sequence” laws have been passed in Tennessee and Utah.
Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), education must prepare children for life in a free and diverse society while respecting their individuality and cultural identity. This new teaching will empower them to make healthy life choices.
