MONTGOMERY — Legislation altering the state’s guidelines for sex education curriculum in the state’s public K-12 schools passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday without much of the expected pushback from Democratic lawmakers.
Senate Bill 209, sponsored by State Sen. Shay Shelnutt (R-Trussville), and carried by State Rep. Susan Dubose (R-Hoover) in the House, would transform the state's sexual education teaching in K-12 schools.
“We currently have an abstinence-based curriculum,” Dubose said. “It’s been around for a very long time. We are just updating the sex ed curriculum to include issues that are now facing our students that didn’t face students years ago, like sexting and cyber-bullying. We’re also updating terminology, that this is sexual risk avoidance, that’s the new term that’s been used in the last few years. So, while we’re maintaining a lot of what was important before, as far as medically accurate information that has to do with contraception, and of course, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. All that stays in there.”
Under current law, any program or curriculum in a public K-12 school that includes sex education or reproduction must emphasize abstinence as the only effective protection against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. SB209 would require any curriculum or program to exclusively teach sexual risk avoidance and encourage abstinence from all sexual activity.
The legislation would also ban any sex ed teaching for children from kindergarten through the fourth grade.
The curriculum would prohibit the use of sexually explicit images, demonstrating the use of contraceptives, providing referrals or information on how to procure contraception or abortions, and the use of services or education from any individual or organization that does not endorse sexual risk avoidance or that advocates for or performs abortions.
The bill would also require teaching on how to recognize sexual abuse, abusive relationships, coercion, and exploitation, and how to report instances to parents, guardians, or law enforcement.
It would also require education on the skills to resist unwanted peer pressure and avoid cyberbullying, sexting, pornography, online sexual predators, and the potential legal implications of participating in any of the preceding activities.
Similar legislation has faced significant backlash from House Democrats when Dubose introduced it in years past. While some Democrats spoke against the bill and attempted to amend it, it passed in half an hour, with only three Democrats questioning it.
“To me, I wonder why we have a bill like this in the first place,” Said State Rep. Barbara Boyd (D-Anniston).
She continued, “I think, as legislators, sometimes, we are legislating too much, I think, that deals with naturally body functions.”
State Rep. Marilyn Lands (D-Huntsville) took issue with a section of the bill that bans giving information on how to acquire and use contraception, offering an amendment to replace that portion. The amendment was handily defeated on the floor, and the body approved the legislation with a vote of 82-16 with six abstentions. The only Republican “no” vote came from State Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest).
The bill would require the teaching of “the benefits of rearing children within the context of marriage.” It would also ban teaching on how to procure abortions. It would also require education on the state’s law on abortion, the benefits of as well as education on adoption, baby boxes,
The legislation would also require parents to be notified of the curriculum and its contents, and would provide parents with the option to have their children opt out of the program.
The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for a signature before it becomes a law.
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