Arkansas Student Receives 25K Signatures Pushing for Required Sex Education
A student in Arkansas was inspired by an assignment in her public speaking class that had her researching teen pregnancy statistics across the state. Deciding that the answer lay in mandated sex education, she circulated a petition on the topic, which has garnered more than 25,000 signatures in just two weeks.
Texas Passes Legislation Making Sexual Assault Protection Lessons Mandatory K-12
The Texas House recently passed legislation that would make lessons in sexual assault protection mandatory, starting in Kindergarten. The bill is now on its way to the Senate.
School Districts in California Struggle to Comply with Healthy Youth Act
Many school districts across the state of California have been struggling to update their programs in the wake of the Healthy Youth Act. The latest controversy has erupted in the Cupertino Union School District. We’ve already posted about this in the past, but this more recent article goes even deeper into the story. Meanwhile, despite ongoing controversy, the Cambrian School District has voted to approve a new, more comprehensive curriculum.
Louisiana State Senator Shifts Focus from High School to College Sex Ed
Louisiana State Senator Wesley Bishop, D-New Orleans, has been trying to improve high school sex ed programming across the state for years. His bills continue to fail, so he’s shifted his focus to college campuses. His Senate Bill 106 would mandate public universities to “develop and implement an action plan to address the prevention of unplanned pregnancies among unmarried students.” Meanwhile, a bill that would have allowed anonymous health risk surveys in high schools failed in the Senate.
North Carolina Launching New Sex Ed Program for Foster Care Teens
In Pitt County, North Carolina, the Board of Social Services has voted to adopt the “Making Proud Choices! For Youth in Out-of-Home Care” program for foster youth ages 16-21 years old. The vote passed 3-1, with the lone “no” vote coming from a board member who felt an abstinence-focused, risk-avoidant approach to sex ed would be more appropriate.
Georgia School District Testing Out New Sex Ed Curriculum in the Fall
Some of the high schools in Georgia’s Bibb County will be testing out a new sex education curriculum starting in the fall. These schools will be part of a pilot study of the FLASH curriculum, which was created by Public Health of Seattle and King County, Washington.
Michigan Holding Public Hearings on Changes to Sex Ed Curriculum
In Michigan, Saline Area Schools are seeking out the public’s input on proposed changes to the district’s high school sex education curriculum, which would include a new component where peer educators explain LGBTQ issues. At a public hearing on May 15, some expressed their concerns. A second public hearing is scheduled for May 30.
One School District Opts to Keep Thrive-Provided Sex Ed Program
Despite widespread opposition throughout St. Louis to the abstinence-based sex ed program offered by Thrive, one school district—St. Charles—has voted to keep the program.
