Bill Text: MS SB2599 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Abstinence-plus sex education as required curriculum in public schools; provide for.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Failed) 2012-03-06 - Died In Committee [SB2599 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2012-SB2599-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2012 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) Simmons (13th), Jackson (32nd), Butler (36th), Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jones, Butler (38th), Simmons (12th)
Senate Bill 2599
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-171, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ABSTINENCE-PLUS SEX EDUCATION AS A REQUIRED CURRICULUM IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO PRESCRIBE THE COMPONENTS OF ABSTINENCE-PLUS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-13-171, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-13-171. (1) The Legislature finds that:
(a) The cost of teen births to Mississippi taxpayers in 2009 was about One Hundred Fifty-five Million Dollars ($155,000,000.00), which can be attributed to: increase in health care costs related to teen births; lost tax revenue from lower wages among teen parents and their children; incarceration costs; and foster care costs.
(b) Sex-related education should be taught in public schools at an age-appropriate level.
(c) Programs aimed at preventing teen pregnancies should comprise:
(i) Access to school nurses and youth-friendly preventive health services;
(ii) Teen programs that develop motivation to stay in school and ambition for the future;
(iii) Help for parents to succeed in their role as sex educators.
(2) The local school board of every public school district shall adopt a policy to implement * * * abstinence-plus education into its curriculum by June 30, 2012, which instruction in those subjects shall be implemented not later than the start of the 2012-2013 school year or the local school board shall adopt the program which has been developed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services and the Mississippi Department of Health. The State Department of Education shall approve each district's curriculum for sex-related education and shall establish a protocol to be used by districts to provide continuity in teaching the approved curriculum in a manner that is age, grade and developmentally appropriate.
(3) Abstinence-plus education shall remain the state standard for any sex-related education taught in the public schools. For purposes of this section, abstinence-plus education includes any type of instruction or program which, at an appropriate age and grade:
(a) Teaches the social, psychological and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity, and the likely negative psychological and physical effects of not abstaining;
(b) Teaches the harmful consequences to the child, the child's parents and society that bearing children out of wedlock is likely to produce, including the health, educational, financial and other difficulties the child and his or her parents are likely to face, as well as the inappropriateness of the social and economic burden placed on others;
(c) Teaches that unwanted sexual advances are irresponsible and teaches how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increases vulnerability to sexual advances;
(d) Teaches that abstinence from sexual activity before marriage, and fidelity within marriage, is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and related health problems. The instruction or program may include a discussion on condoms or contraceptives, but only if that discussion includes a factual presentation of the risks and failure rates of those contraceptives * * *;
(e) Teaches the current state law related to sexual conduct, including forcible rape, statutory rape, paternity establishment, child support and homosexual activity; * * *
(f) Teaches that a mutually faithful, monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the only appropriate setting for sexual intercourse;
* * *
(g) Teaches the nature, causes and effects of sexually transmitted diseases, or the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, along with a factual presentation of the risks and failure rates;
(h) Includes access to school nurses and youth-friendly preventive health services;
(i) Includes teen programs that develop motivation to stay in school and ambition for the future;
(j) Offers assistance for parents to succeed in their role as sex educators; and
(k) Any other programmatic or instructional component approved by the department.
(4) Any course containing sex-related education offered in the public schools shall include instruction in * * * abstinence-plus education.
(5) Local school districts, in their discretion, may host programs designed to teach parents how to discuss abstinence with their children.
(6) There shall be no effort in * * * an abstinence-plus curriculum to teach that abortion can be used to prevent the birth of a baby.
(7) At all times when sex-related education is discussed or taught, boys and girls shall be separated according to gender into different classrooms, sex-related education instruction may not be conducted when boys and girls are in the company of any students of the opposite gender.
(8) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2016.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.
