Today’s podcast with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. Boykin is in honor of 9/11. Listen here
Significant Parental Rights Protections Take Effect
State laws passed by Arizona lawmakers this legislative session go into effect September 29th. One of the more significant laws strengthens parental rights and protects younger children from inappropriate sex education curriculum.
CAP recently sent a letter to district and charter school leaders reminding them of the coming changes to Arizona law pertaining to sex education and any sexuality related instruction in any class. We’re making it accessible here so all are informed of the legal protections for parents and the requirements of school officials who want to provide sex education to public school students. The law passed this session provides significant protections to ensure parents are notified of what sexuality related instruction is being offered at their children’s school.
Click here for the full letter. The following is a brief synopsis of the regulations:
Instruction and Curricula Requirements
- Prohibits school districts and charter schools from providing sex education instruction before grade 5
- Allows a school district or charter school to adopt sex education course of study, but does not require it
- Specifies that age and grade appropriate classroom instruction on child assault awareness and abuse prevention is not prohibited
Curricula Approval Requirements
- Requires a governing board or charter school governing body to review and approve a sex education course of study
- Directs a governing board or governing body, prior to approving any sex education course of study to:
- ensure that all meetings with the purpose of reviewing and selecting a course of study are publicly noticed, at least two weeks before occurring, and are open to the public
- make any proposed course of study available and accessible for public review and comment, for at least 60 days before considering approval
- conduct at least two public hearings during the 60-day review period
- provide parents with a meaningful opportunity to participate, review, and provide input before the course of study is adopted.
(Public comment includes written and oral comments, as well as comments submitted through email)
Parental Permission and Notification
- Requires a school district or charter school to:
- make the sex education curricula available for the parent’s review online and in-person
- notify parents where the sex education curricula are available for review, at least two weeks before any instruction is offered.
- obtain signed, written consent from a pupil’s parent or guardian before providing sex education instruction
- at the same time, inform a pupil’s parent or guardian of their right to review the instructional materials and activities.
- Requires a governing board to develop and adopt advance parental notification procedures and provide parents the opportunity to opt their children into any instruction, learning materials, or presentations related to sexuality in courses other than formal sex education curricula.
Over the next few weeks, we will outline some of the other CAP-supported laws going into effect at the end of the month.
ICYMI
- Read here about the details of the Texas Heartbeat Law, and how pro-life advocates in Texas found a way around the abortion industry’s tactics
- Read here which companies are defending abortion and publicly protesting Texas’ new heartbeat law
- Breakpoint is featuring a historical overview of the events of 9/11 called, Teaching 9/11 to an Emerging Generation
Stay connected and consider receiving additional publications by joining the CAP Network.
