HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 994        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 421

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Regarding Parental Notification and Consent..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

1. Chapter 71, Section 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended and Section 32B added, to be the following:

Section 32B Parental Notification and Consent

Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district presenting, implementing, or maintaining a school program which involves human sexual education, human sexuality issues or alternative sexual behavior shall adopt and implement a written policy ensuring parental/guardian notification of such school programs and a description of their content.

All such school programs shall be offered only in clearly identified non-mandatory elective courses or activities in which parents or guardians may choose to enroll their children through written notification to the school,  in a manner reasonably similar to other elective courses or activities offered by the school district.

To the extent practicable, instruction materials and related items for said school programs, including access to related extra-curricular events, shall be made reasonably available to parents, guardians, educators, school administrators, and others for inspection and review.

No public school teacher or administrator shall be required to participate in any such school programs that violate his religious beliefs.