Historic Victory for Sex Ed


For Immediate Release: March 13, 2008

SACRAMENTO -- Following an intensive advocacy campaign, the ACLU of Northern California is delighted to announce that California Department of Education has adopted its first-ever set of K-12 Health Education Content Standards. The new standards include essential information about sexual orientation, contraception, and other important topics critical to the health and wellbeing of young people in California. 

“We are one giant step closer to ensuring that all of California’s students receive accurate and comprehensive information about sex,” said Maggie Crosby, an attorney with the ACLU-NC who has specialized in reproductive rights for more than 30 years.

The California State Board of Education unanimously adopted the standards at its meeting on March 12. 

California developed and adopted its own health standards for the first time in 2007-08, but the initial draft did not accurately reflect the legal requirements that the ACLU fought hard to enact in 2003 and to implement in public schools through SB 71.  After the ACLU led an intensive advocacy campaign, the California State Board of Education adopted the improved standards.

While the new standards cover all health education issues, they have specific provisions intended to reflect the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act, also known as SB 71.  SB 71, co-sponsored by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, requires public school districts that provide sexuality education to utilize comprehensive, medically accurate, objective and age appropriate instruction, among other requirements.  The curricula must be bias-free, and provide equal access to English learners and students with disabilities.  SB 71 became law in 2004.

More than 50 organizations, including Planned Parenthood Affiliates and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, expressed strong support for the new standards.

“The strength and breadth of our response reflects the value our communities place in comprehensive, accurate health education and sent a powerful message to the board of education,” said Phyllida Burlingame, coordinator of the California Sex Education Roundtable.

The health standards are currently posted online. The state will now begin the process of producing, disseminating, and implementing the standards.