AB 337

Under current law, a school board may offer an instructional program in human

growth and development (instructional program). If the school board offers an

instructional program, the instructional program must provide medically accurate

information and, when age appropriate, address all of the following: 1)

communication between the pupil and the pupil's parents or guardians about

sexuality; 2) reproductive and sexual anatomy and physiology; 3) puberty,

pregnancy, parenting, body image, and gender stereotypes; 4) skills to make

responsible decisions about sexuality and sexual behavior throughout the pupil's life

span, including how to recognize, rebuff, and report unwanted or inappropriate

verbal, physical, or sexual behaviors; 5) the benefits of and reasons for abstaining

from sexual activity; 6) the health benefits, side effects, and proper use of

contraceptives and barrier methods approved by the federal Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) to prevent pregnancy and barrier methods approved by the

FDA to prevent sexually transmitted infections; 7) methods for developing healthy

life skills, including setting goals, responsible decision making, communication, and

stress management; 8) how alcohol or drug use affects responsible decision making;

and 9) the impact of media and peer messages on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

related to sexuality. If a school board provides instruction in any of the subject areas

enumerated in items 1 to 9, it must do all of the following: a) ensure that instruction

in marriage and family responsibility is provided, but not necessarily in the same

course or during the same school year; b) instruct pupils about the criminal penalties

for engaging in sexual activities involving a child; and c) instruct pupils about sex

offender registration requirements.

This bill recommends, rather than requires, instructional topics for a school

board that elects to provide an instructional program and restructures the

recommended curriculum. The bill eliminates from the current law curriculum

items 3 and 6, above, but retains discussion of pregnancy, parenting, and gender

stereotypes in other portions of the recommended curriculum. The bill modifies item

4 by adding discussion of bullying, and modifies item 5 to require the instruction

under that item to identify the skills necessary to remain abstinent. The bill also

adds the following subjects to the recommended topics, instruction of which is to be

medically accurate and provided when age appropriate: adoption resources, prenatal

care, and postnatal supports, and the nature and treatment of sexually transmitted

infections, personal responsibility, and the positive connection between marriage

and parenting.

The bill requires a school board that offers an instructional program to do all

of the following in the same course and during the same year: 1) present abstinence

as the preferred choice of behavior for unmarried pupils; 2) emphasize that

abstinence is the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy and avoid sexually

transmitted infections; 3) provide instruction in parental responsibility and the