Sex ed bill goes to House floor

A bill that would require school districts to offer a responsible family life and sexuality education program for students in grades six through 12 is going to the House floor.

The House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee approved a bill, sponsored by Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Mpls, on a 12-8 vote.

School curriculum would have to encourage abstinence and include age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception and disease prevention.

Dr. Michael Resnick, a professor of pediatrics and public health at the University of Minnesota, said that a recent survey of Minnesota parents found that most favor sex education featuring both abstinence encouragement and medically accurate information about birth control and preventing sexually transmitted disease. About 11 percent favor no sex education or an abstinence-only program.

Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, sponsors a companion bill, which awaits action by the Senate Education Committee.

Source: Kris Berggren, Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services