Bill > S2062

This bill amends existing Massachusetts law to establish new requirements for schools that provide comprehensive sexual health education, defining "medically accurate" as information supported by scientific research and recognized by leading health organizations, and "age-appropriate" as content suitable for a child's developmental stage. Schools must now adopt written policies that notify parents or legal guardians about the sexual health curriculum, inform them of their right to withdraw their child from all or part of the instruction, and allow parents to review program materials beforehand, with notifications to be provided in English and other commonly spoken languages and at least 30 days before instruction begins. Students withdrawn from sexual health education will not face penalties and will be offered an alternative educational activity. Additionally, the bill mandates that sexual health education be medically accurate and age-appropriate, covering topics like abstinence, contraception, safe sexual activity, healthy relationships, and parenting considerations, and it also requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop guidelines for child exploitation awareness education for students in second grade and above, with these provisions taking effect for the 2016-2017 school year.