HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 882        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 437

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to 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:
 

SECTION 1.Section 32A of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the section in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:

Section 32A. Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum, or a school sanctioned program or activity, which  involves human sexual education, human sexuality issues, or sexual orientation issues shall adopt a written policy ensuring parental or legal guardian notification.

Such curriculum programs and activities, which involves human sexual education, human sexuality issues, or sexual orientation, shall be offered only in clearly identified non-mandatory elective courses 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 offered by the school district.

To the extent practicable, instruction materials and related items for said curriculum, programs, and activities shall be made reasonably accessible 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 curriculum program and activities which involves human sexual education, human sexuality issues, or sexual orientation issues that violate his or her religious beliefs.