HOUSE BILL NO. 283 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 2, 2008 A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-207.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to family life education. ---------- Patron-- Toscano ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 22.1-207.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-207.2. Right of parents to review certain materials; summaries distributed on request; notification.

Every parent, guardian or other person in the Commonwealth having control or charge of any child who is required by § 22.1-254 A to send such child to a public school shall have the right to review the complete family life curricula, including all supplemental materials used in any family life education program. A complete copy of all printed materials and a description of all audio-visual materials shall be kept in the school library or office and made available for review to any parent or guardian during school office hours before and during the school year. The audio-visual materials shall be made available to parents for review, upon request, on the same basis as printed materials are made available.

Each school board shall develop and, when so requested by an individual parent or guardian of a student participating in the family life education program, distribute to that parent the parents or guardian guardians of a student participating in the family life education program, a summary designed to assist parents in understanding the program implemented in its school division as such program progresses and to encourage parental guidance and involvement in the instruction of the students. Such information shall reflect the curricula of the program as taught in the classroom. If the curriculum of the program taught in the classroom is comprised solely of abstinence education, the school division shall include the following information on the summary:

Your child is receiving abstinence-only education. When discussing pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, abstinence is the only prevention  information discussed. This program does not conform to the Virginia Board of Education's Family Life Education Guidelines in which abstinence is stressed, and information on birth control to prevent the spread of sexually  transmitted diseases(STDs) is also included. Parents or guardians have the right to review the Family Life Education program of their school division, including written and audiovisual educational materials. Parents or guardians have the right to excuse their child from all or part of Family Life Education instruction.

If the curriculum of the program taught in the classroom conforms to the Virginia Board of Education's Family Life Education Guidelines, the school division shall include the following information on the summary:

Your child is receiving Family Life Education according to the Guidelines established by Virginia's Board of Education. The Virginia Board of Education's Family Life Education Guidelines are abstinence-based. Abstinence is stressed, and information on birth control to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is also included. Parents or guardians have the right to review the Family Life Education program of their school division, including written and audiovisual educational materials. Parents or guardians have the right to excuse their child from all or part of Family Life Education instruction.