SB827: Family life education; adds benefits, etc., of marriage for men, etc., to list of topics covered.


SENATE BILL NO. 827
Senate Amendments in [ ] -- February 9, 2009
A BILL to amend and reenact 22.1-207.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to family life education.
Patrons Prior to EngrossmentSenators Smith, Blevins and Cuccinelli

Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That 22.1-207.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

22.1-207.1. Family life education.

The Board of Education shall develop by December 1, 1987, standards of learning and curriculum guidelines for a comprehensive, sequential family life education curriculum in grades K through 12. Such curriculum guidelines shall include instruction as appropriate for the age of the student in family living and community relationships; the [ value and benefits benefits, challenges, responsibilities, and value ] of marriage for men, women, children, and communities; abstinence education; the value of postponing sexual activity; the benefits of adoption as a positive choice in the event of an unwanted pregnancy; human sexuality; human reproduction; dating violence, the characteristics of abusive relationships, steps to take to avoid sexual assault, and the availability of counseling and legal resources, and, in the event of such sexual assault, the importance of immediate medical attention and advice, as well as the requirements of the law; the etiology, prevention and effects of sexually transmitted diseases; and mental health education and awareness.

All such instruction shall be designed to promote parental involvement, foster positive self concepts and provide mechanisms for coping with peer pressure and the stresses of modern living according to the students' developmental stages and abilities. The Board shall also establish requirements for appropriate training for teachers of family life education, which shall include training in instructional elements to support the various curriculum components.

For the purposes of this section, "abstinence education" means an educational or motivational component which has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by teenagers' abstaining from sexual activity before marriage.

SENATE BILL NO. 827
Offered January 14, 2009
Prefiled December 15, 2008
A BILL to amend and reenact 22.1-207.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to family life education.
Patron-- Smith

Referred to Committee on Education and Health

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That 22.1-207.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

22.1-207.1. Family life education.

The Board of Education shall develop by December 1, 1987, standards of learning and curriculum guidelines for a comprehensive, sequential family life education curriculum in grades K through 12. Such curriculum guidelines shall include instruction as appropriate for the age of the student in family living and community relationships; the value and benefits of marriage for men, women, children, and communities; abstinence education; the value of postponing sexual activity; the benefits of adoption as a positive choice in the event of an unwanted pregnancy; human sexuality; human reproduction; dating violence, the characteristics of abusive relationships, steps to take to avoid sexual assault, and the availability of counseling and legal resources, and, in the event of such sexual assault, the importance of immediate medical attention and advice, as well as the requirements of the law; the etiology, prevention and effects of sexually transmitted diseases; and mental health education and awareness.

All such instruction shall be designed to promote parental involvement, foster positive self concepts and provide mechanisms for coping with peer pressure and the stresses of modern living according to the students' developmental stages and abilities. The Board shall also establish requirements for appropriate training for teachers of family life education, which shall include training in instructional elements to support the various curriculum components.

For the purposes of this section, "abstinence education" means an educational or motivational component which has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by teenagers' abstaining from sexual activity before marriage.