Bill Text: MN SF451 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Responsible family life and sexuality education program establishment
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-14 - Referred to Education [SF451 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF451-Introduced.html
1.2relating to education; creating a responsible family life and sexuality education
1.3program;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 121A;
1.4repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.23.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [121A.231] RESPONSIBLE FAMILY LIFE AND SEXUALITY
1.7EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) "Responsible family life and sexuality education"
1.9means education in grades 6 through 12 that:
1.10(1) respects community values and encourages family communication;
1.11(2) develops skills in communication, decision making, and conflict resolution;
1.12(3) contributes to healthy relationships and prevention of sexual violence;
1.13(4) promotes individual responsibility;
1.14(5) includes an abstinence-first approach to delaying initiation of sexual activity
1.15while also including education about contraception and disease prevention; and
1.16(6) provides human development and sexuality education that is age-appropriate
1.17and medically accurate.
1.18(b) "Age-appropriate" refers to topics, messages, and teaching methods suitable to
1.19particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive,
1.20emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.
1.21(c) "Medically accurate" means verified or supported by research conducted in
1.22compliance with scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, where
1.23appropriate, and recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations
1.24and agencies in the relevant field, such as the federal Centers for Disease Control
2.1and Prevention, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of
2.2Pediatrics, or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
2.3 Subd. 2. Curriculum requirements. (a) A school district must offer and may
2.4independently establish policies, procedures, curriculum, and services for providing
2.5responsible family life and sexuality education that is age-appropriate and medically
2.6accurate, to meet the needs of all students in grades 6 through 12. A school district may
2.7implement the curriculum consistent with its curriculum review cycle under section
2.8120B.11, or no later than the start of the 2014-2015 school year, whichever comes first.
2.9(b) A school district must consult with parents or guardians of enrolled students
2.10when establishing policies, procedures, curriculum, and services under this subdivision.
2.11(c) A school district may implement the curriculum through instruction from school
2.12district personnel or outside consultants.
2.13 Subd. 3. Notice and parental options. (a) It is the legislature's intent to encourage
2.14pupils to communicate with their parents or guardians about human sexuality and to respect
2.15the rights of parents or guardians to supervise their children's education on these subjects.
2.16(b) Parents or guardians may excuse their children from all or part of a responsible
2.17family life and sexuality education program.
2.18(c) A school district must make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for
2.19alternative instruction for those pupils whose parents or guardians object to the content
2.20of the instruction, and must not impose an academic or other penalty upon a pupil for
2.21arranging the alternative instruction. School personnel may evaluate and assess the quality
2.22of the pupil's work completed as part of the alternative instruction.
2.23(d) A school district must establish policies and procedures consistent with this
2.24section for providing parents or guardians reasonable notice with the following information:
2.25(1) if the district is offering a responsible family life and sexuality education program
2.26to the parents' or guardians' child during the course of the year;
2.27(2) how the parents or guardians may inspect the written and audiovisual educational
2.28materials used in the program and the process for inspection;
2.29(3) if the program is presented by school district personnel or outside consultants,
2.30and if outside consultants are used, who they may be; and
2.31(4) parents' or guardians' right to choose not to have the child participate in the
2.32program and the procedure for exercising that right.
2.33(e) A school district must establish policies and procedures for reasonably restricting
2.34the availability of written and audiovisual educational materials from public view of
2.35students who have been excused from all or part of a responsible family life and sexuality
2.36education program at the request of a parent or guardian, consistent with this section.
3.1 Subd. 4. Assistance to school districts. The Department of Education, in
3.2coordination with the Department of Health, may offer services to school districts,
3.3including training, resources, and technical assistance to help them implement responsible
3.4family life and sexuality education programs in accordance with national health education
3.5standards.
3.6 Subd. 5. Federal funds. The Department of Health and the Department of
3.7Education shall seek available funds from the federal government, consistent with the
3.8definitions of a responsible family life and sexuality education program, including, but
3.9not limited to, funds available from the Office of Adolescent Health and the Centers for
3.10Disease Control and Prevention.
3.11 Sec. 2. REPEALER.
3.12Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.23, is repealed.
1.3program;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 121A;
1.4repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.23.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [121A.231] RESPONSIBLE FAMILY LIFE AND SEXUALITY
1.7EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) "Responsible family life and sexuality education"
1.9means education in grades 6 through 12 that:
1.10(1) respects community values and encourages family communication;
1.11(2) develops skills in communication, decision making, and conflict resolution;
1.12(3) contributes to healthy relationships and prevention of sexual violence;
1.13(4) promotes individual responsibility;
1.14(5) includes an abstinence-first approach to delaying initiation of sexual activity
1.15while also including education about contraception and disease prevention; and
1.16(6) provides human development and sexuality education that is age-appropriate
1.17and medically accurate.
1.18(b) "Age-appropriate" refers to topics, messages, and teaching methods suitable to
1.19particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive,
1.20emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.
1.21(c) "Medically accurate" means verified or supported by research conducted in
1.22compliance with scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, where
1.23appropriate, and recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations
1.24and agencies in the relevant field, such as the federal Centers for Disease Control
2.1and Prevention, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of
2.2Pediatrics, or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
2.3 Subd. 2. Curriculum requirements. (a) A school district must offer and may
2.4independently establish policies, procedures, curriculum, and services for providing
2.5responsible family life and sexuality education that is age-appropriate and medically
2.6accurate, to meet the needs of all students in grades 6 through 12. A school district may
2.7implement the curriculum consistent with its curriculum review cycle under section
2.8120B.11, or no later than the start of the 2014-2015 school year, whichever comes first.
2.9(b) A school district must consult with parents or guardians of enrolled students
2.10when establishing policies, procedures, curriculum, and services under this subdivision.
2.11(c) A school district may implement the curriculum through instruction from school
2.12district personnel or outside consultants.
2.13 Subd. 3. Notice and parental options. (a) It is the legislature's intent to encourage
2.14pupils to communicate with their parents or guardians about human sexuality and to respect
2.15the rights of parents or guardians to supervise their children's education on these subjects.
2.16(b) Parents or guardians may excuse their children from all or part of a responsible
2.17family life and sexuality education program.
2.18(c) A school district must make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for
2.19alternative instruction for those pupils whose parents or guardians object to the content
2.20of the instruction, and must not impose an academic or other penalty upon a pupil for
2.21arranging the alternative instruction. School personnel may evaluate and assess the quality
2.22of the pupil's work completed as part of the alternative instruction.
2.23(d) A school district must establish policies and procedures consistent with this
2.24section for providing parents or guardians reasonable notice with the following information:
2.25(1) if the district is offering a responsible family life and sexuality education program
2.26to the parents' or guardians' child during the course of the year;
2.27(2) how the parents or guardians may inspect the written and audiovisual educational
2.28materials used in the program and the process for inspection;
2.29(3) if the program is presented by school district personnel or outside consultants,
2.30and if outside consultants are used, who they may be; and
2.31(4) parents' or guardians' right to choose not to have the child participate in the
2.32program and the procedure for exercising that right.
2.33(e) A school district must establish policies and procedures for reasonably restricting
2.34the availability of written and audiovisual educational materials from public view of
2.35students who have been excused from all or part of a responsible family life and sexuality
2.36education program at the request of a parent or guardian, consistent with this section.
3.1 Subd. 4. Assistance to school districts. The Department of Education, in
3.2coordination with the Department of Health, may offer services to school districts,
3.3including training, resources, and technical assistance to help them implement responsible
3.4family life and sexuality education programs in accordance with national health education
3.5standards.
3.6 Subd. 5. Federal funds. The Department of Health and the Department of
3.7Education shall seek available funds from the federal government, consistent with the
3.8definitions of a responsible family life and sexuality education program, including, but
3.9not limited to, funds available from the Office of Adolescent Health and the Centers for
3.10Disease Control and Prevention.
3.11 Sec. 2. REPEALER.
3.12Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 121A.23, is repealed.
