This bill was tabled in Senate Education & Cultural Resources Committee on a party-line vote.
This bill was an expansive proactive bill providing that if school districts teach comprehensive sex ed, they should do so in line with national standards. This bill did not mandate that comprehensive sex ed be taught in grades 4 through 12, nor did it mandate that particular curriculum or information be included in the instruction.
Sex education is education. It gives young people developmentally appropriate, medically accurate information, and provides answers to their questions about sex and relationships, without shame or judgment. The overwhelming majority of people agree: Young people in the U.S. should have access to sex education. Unfortunately, too many young people in our nation–including in this state–aren’t getting the information and skills they need to make informed decisions about sex and relationships.
We know that access to sex education and sexual and reproductive health care services are critical to keeping young people safe and healthy. This bill encouraged school districts in Montana to adopt programs for comprehensive, age-appropriate personal health and sexual health education in line with national standards and recommendations.
