Senate Bill 442 was amended significantly in the House Education Committee. As amended, the bill would require that any instruction and learning materials used for “instruction on human sexuality” for grades 4-12 be approved by the local school board once and only again if the materials change. The bill also mandates that relevant curriculum information be posted publicly on the school’s website and that currently notices to parents direct them to this posting and include information about the gender of the instructor and whether the class will be co-ed. SB 442 was also amended to require that sex education courses include an inaccurate, anti-abortion video produced by an advocacy group—not doctors.
ACLU of Indiana continues to oppose SB 442. All students deserve a high quality and inclusive sexual health education. SB 442 politicizes this education and largely duplicates actions school districts are already required to do. As amended, that bill also inserts anti-abortion propaganda videos into these courses. We will monitor the bill as it progresses in the House and goes to a Conference Committee to harmonize the different versions.
