CNN
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Tennessee could soon become the latest state to require public school students to watch a three-minute computer-generated video about fetal development created by an anti-abortion group.
The state Senate passed the bill, commonly known as “Baby Olivia's Law,” on a 21-6 vote Thursday, and it now heads to Republican Gov. Bill Lee's desk.
Under the proposed law, schools would have to incorporate videos or the equivalent into the family life curriculum. The curriculum covers topics such as human growth, development, and sexual orientation through “at least three minutes of high-quality computer-generated animation or high-resolution ultrasound showing the development of the brain, heart, and reproductive organs.” , and other important organs during early fetal development. ”
The animation, created by anti-abortion group Live Action, depicts the various stages of a baby's development, but experts say it is medically inaccurate and could have serious consequences. There has been some criticism.
George Walker IV/AP
Congressman Gino Balso introduces a bill on the House floor that would ban the display of Pride flags in schools at the Capitol on February 26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The House bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Gino Balso, argued in March that the video was medically accurate and had been approved by a panel of medical experts and experts. But Tennessee House Democrats said they believe research from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists disproves that statement.
“Like much anti-abortion misinformation, the 'Baby Olivia' video is not intended to share evidence-based scientific information about embryo and fetal development, but rather to “Designed to manipulate the emotions of women,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said. CNN reported in a statement.
“Many of the claims made in this video are not consistent with scientific fact and instead reflect the biased ideological perspective of the extremists who created the video. We strongly oppose the dissemination of information.”
said Minority Leader Senator Ramesh Akbari. That video doesn't deserve to be included in the curriculum.
“Students have a right to unbiased and medically accurate sex education that helps them make healthy and safe decisions,” Akbari said. “This bill accomplishes none of those goals.”
House Democratic Rep. Aftin Behn said the pro-life video was “incredibly problematic” and contradicted Bruso's views on education.
“Representative Bourso, in your own words, when asked about the controversial bill you passed a few weeks ago, you said that schools are places where children go to learn, not where children are indoctrinated. '' said Behn.
The House passed HB2435 in March by a vote of 67-23.
Medical experts say video is medically inaccurate and ignores mother
The film, which is narrated, claims to provide a chronological explanation of what happens during different stages of pregnancy. This video begins with the fertilization and implantation of an egg and shows the embryonic and fetal development of the fetus.
Republican Sen. Janice Bowling, the Senate bill's sponsor, said Thursday she supports the bill introduced by Balso.
“Baby Olivia is a medically accurate, animated glimpse into human life at the moment of fertilization. This scientifically accurate video shows how she prepares for her continued life outside the womb. It shows her growing as she progresses from one developmental stage to the next, and again, this is one of the options teachers choose when presenting this type of information.'' .
Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, disagrees, pointing out multiple inaccuracies and calling the lack of accurate medical information “concerning.” Ta.
“The claim that life begins at the moment of fertilization is not a medical fact. In medicine, pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall,” he told CNN. This means that the timeline in the video shows the pregnancy stage dates two weeks earlier, making it sound like the fetus is more developed than it actually is.
So the 11-week stage the fetus is placed in the video actually depicts a 13-week-old fetus, Grossman said.
“The risk of such biased and inaccurate information being disseminated in schools is that it could shape public opinion that ultimately affects the legality of abortion and, in some cases, the legality of IVF, contraception, and other medical treatments. “I think it’s being used to influence,” he added.
The part of the video that describes the baby's heartbeat is also not entirely accurate, Grossman said. The video claims that you can hear your baby's heartbeat at 3 weeks old and that rhythmic contractions of the heart tube can be seen on ultrasound at 5-6 weeks old, but Grossman says the baby's heart is completely broken down. It is said that it forms during the 9th week after birth.
Grossman said the video shows that a fetus can survive outside the womb “with a lot of help” at 20 weeks, but only a few babies born at 22 weeks survive to be discharged from the hospital. They claim that it is only 10%.
“Very little is said about the woman with the fetus developing inside her body, including how she feels about the pregnancy and how it affects her health,” he said. added.
Noah Brandt, vice president of communications for the anti-abortion group Live Action, which produced the video, said the group consulted with a panel of doctors, including experts in embryo and fetal development, for the project. The group also said doctors supported the announcement.
Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, expressed gratitude for the passage of this bill.
“I commend the Tennessee General Assembly for passing this bill. baby olivia actThis is an important step toward educating students about the amazing process of human development in the womb…Governor Lee will quickly sign this bill and prioritize comprehensive education on human development. We hope this will set a precedent for other states to follow. ”
Seth Herald/Reuters
Representative Justin Jones raises his hand to speak about bill HB 2716 at the Tennessee State Capitol during plenary session on February 26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Rep. Justin Jones, D-Tennessee, said in a recent phone interview with CNN that the new bill is an attempt to blend religious beliefs and science to confuse students with “medically inaccurate” information. Ta.
“At a time when our schools are underfunded and teachers are already being forced to ban history and ban books on critical race theory and diversity, It's shameful that they're pushing this. They're trying to push this propaganda into our schools and present a view that's not true.”
Jones also said Republican lawmakers voted against an amendment that would have allowed parents to opt out of their children's video viewing.
CNN has contacted Lee's office regarding the bill and whether it will be signed into law. If signed, the law would go into effect immediately beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
CNN has also reached out to Planned Parenthood for comment.
The bill comes two years after Tennessee banned abortion at any stage of pregnancy, including in cases of rape or incest. There are exceptions to this prohibition only in cases where the life and limb of the pregnant woman are in serious danger.
Tennessee joins North Dakota in adopting “Baby Olivia” legislation. Similar bills are being considered in Iowa, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri.
