Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
California state law, the California Healthy Youth Act (AB 329), was passed in 2016 and requires that comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education be provided to students at least once in middle school and once in high school, starting in grade 7. NMUSD elementary students do not receive comprehensive sex education instruction.
- CALIFORNIA HEALTHY YOUTH ACT (AB 329)
- PRIOR NOTIFICATION | OPT OUT
- INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (ENGLISH)
- Preguntas frecuentes en referencia (Espanol)
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY YOUTH ACT (AB 329)
Comprehensive Sex Education instruction is designed to encourage students to communicate with parents, guardians or other trusted adults about human sexuality. Instruction must be medically accurate, age-appropriate and inclusive of all students. The law requires that Comprehensive Sex Education must include the following:
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Information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including transmission, FDA approved methods to prevent HIV and STIs, and treatment.
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Information that abstinence is the only certain way to prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV and other STIs, and information about value of delaying sexual activity.
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Discussion about social views of HIV and AIDS.
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Information about accessing resources for sexual and reproductive health care.
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Information about pregnancy, including FDA-approved prevention methods, pregnancy outcomes, prenatal care, and the newborn safe surrender law.
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Information about sexual orientation and gender, including the harm of negative stereotypes.
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Information about healthy relationships and avoiding unhealthy behaviors and situations
PRIOR NOTIFICATION | OPT OUT
Newport-Mesa Unified School District highly qualified and trained teachers will be providing this content to seventh grade students and high school students who are enrolled in a health class.
Parents/guardians will be sent notification 14 days prior to lessons being started in the classroom. State law and district policy allows parents/guardians to opt their student out of this instruction. If parents/guardians do not want their student to participate in comprehensive sex education or HIV prevention education, he/she will be able to submit a written request to their student’s teacher, complete the NMUSD opt-out form or complete a NMUSD Google opt-out form (accessible in English/Spanish).
However, as stated in Education Code 51932(b), the opt-out provision of the California Healthy Youth Act does not apply to instruction or materials outside the context of comprehensive sexual health education, including those that may reference gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, discrimination, bullying, relationships, or family. For example, the opt-out rule associated with comprehensive sexual health education would not apply to a social studies lesson on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. Read more about the FAIR Education Act of 2011.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (ENGLISH)
1. Is NMUSD required to teach sexual health and HIV prevention education?
Yes. Assembly Bill 329 (AB 329) requires school districts throughout California to provide students with comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education, at least once in middle school and once in high school. Providing comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education in elementary school is optional and NMUSD will not be teaching comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education in elementary schools.
2. May parents or guardians opt out of comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education?
Yes. Parents and guardians may submit, in writing (to the child’s teacher), to exclude their child from participation in comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education.
3. What will be taught in the comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education?
As part of the requirements of AB 329 school districts are required to educate students on medically accurate information related to the following:
- Information about HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including transmission, effects on the human body, FDA approved methods to prevent HIV and STIs, and treatment
- Information that abstinence is the only certain way to prevent unintended pregnancy and HIV and other STIs, and information about the value of delaying sexual activity
- Discussion about social views of HIV and AIDS, including addressing unfounded stereotypes and myths
- Information about accessing resources for sexual and reproductive health care
- Information about pregnancy, including FDA approves prevention methods, pregnancy outcomes, prenatal care, and the newborn safe surrender law.
- Information about sexual orientation and gender, including the harm of negative gender stereotypes
- Information about healthy relationships and avoiding unhealthy behaviors and situations including sexual harassment, sexual assault, adolescent relationship abuse, intimate partner violence, and sex trafficking
4. Will boys and girls be taught sexual health education and HIV prevention education together?
Yes. Boys and girls will be taught in co-ed classroom environments.
5. Will comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education include content on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+)?
Yes. As part of the requirements under AB 329, school districts are required to educate students on LGBTQ content such as gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.
6. May I see the curriculum before it is taught to my child?
Yes. You can examine written and audiovisual instructional materials at your school upon request pending a 24 hour notification. You can also see the curriculum under the "Instructional Materials" tab above. You may request a copy of the California Healthy Youth Act (California Education Code Sections 51930-51939) by contacting the school district at 714-424-7551.
Preguntas frecuentes en referencia (Espanol)
1. ¿Se le requiere al NMUSD impartir clases de educación de salud sexual y prevención del VIH?
Sí. El proyecto de ley 329 (AB 329) requiere que los distritos escolares en California proporcionen a los estudiantes educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH, al menos una vez en la secundaria y una vez en la preparatoria.
Es opcional proporcionar educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH en la escuela primaria, y el NMUSD no impartirá clases de educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH en las escuelas primarias.
2. ¿Pueden los padres o tutores optar por excluirse de la educación de salud sexual y prevención del VIH?
Sí. Los padres/tutores pueden pedir, por escrito (al maestro del niño), excluir a su niño de participar en educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH. Las escuelas no tienen permiso de permitir que los padres/tutores opten por quedar fuera SOLO de la lecciones enfocadas en el LGBTQ como identidad de género, expresión de género, y orientación sexual; ya que esto puede ser considerado discriminatorio.
3. ¿Qué se enseñará en la educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH?
Como parte de los requisitos de la AB 329 a los distrito escolares se les requiere educar a los estudiantes con información médicamente precisa relacionada a lo siguiente:
● Información sobre el VIH y otras Infecciones Transmitidas Sexualmente (STI por sus siglas en inglés), incluyendo la transmisión, efectos sobre el cuerpo humano, métodos para prevenir el VIH y los STI aprobados por la FDA, y tratamiento
● Información de que la abstinencia es la única manera precisa de prevenir embarazos no deseados y el VIH y otros STI, e información sobre el valor de aplazar la actividad sexual
● Conversación sobre las opiniones sociales sobre el VIH y el SIDA, incluyendo tratar los estereotipos y mitos
● Información sobre cómo tener acceso a recursos para el cuidado de salud sexual y reproductivo
● Información sobre el embarazo, incluyendo los métodos de prevención aprobados por la FDA, resultados de embarazo, cuidado prenatal, y la ley de entrega protegida de un recién nacido.
● Información sobre la orientación sexual y género, incluyendo el daño que hacen los estereotipos negativos sobre el género
● Información sobre las relaciones saludables y evitar las conductas no saludables y situaciones incluyendo el acoso sexual, agresión sexual, abuso en relaciones de adolescencia, violencia íntima de una pareja, y el tráfico sexual
4. ¿Recibirán los niños y niñas la educación de salud sexual y prevención del VIH juntos?
Sí. A los niños y niñas se les enseñará en entornos de salones mixtos.
5. ¿Se incluirá contenido sobre las personas Lesbianas, Gais, Bisexuales, Transgénero, Queer (LGBTQ+) en esta educación de salud sexual integral y prevención del VIH?
Sí. Como parte de los requisitos de la AB 329, a los distritos escolares se les requiere educar a los estudiantes sobre el contenido LGBTQ como la identidad de género, expresión de género, y orientación sexual.
6. ¿Puede ver el plan de estudios antes de que se le enseñe a mi niño(a)?
Sí. Usted puede examinar los materiales impresos y audiovisuales en su escuela luego de una solicitud con una notificación pendiente de 24 horas. Usted puede solicitar una copia de la Ley de Jóvenes Saludables de California (Secciones 51930-51939 del Código de Educación de California) contactando al distrito escolar al 714-424-7551.