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2017 SESSION
17103707DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 22.1-207.1 and 22.1-207.1:1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 22.1-207.1. Family life education.
A. As used in this section, "abstinence education" means an educational or motivational component that has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by teenagers' abstaining from sexual activity until maturity.
B. The
Board of Education shall develop by December 1, 1987, standards Standards of learning
Learning and curriculum guidelines for a comprehensive,
sequential family life education curriculum in grades K kindergarten through 12. Such
curriculum guidelines shall include instruction as appropriate for the age of
the student in family living and community relationships;
the benefits, challenges, responsibilities, and value of marriage and family relationships 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 prevent 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.
C. All
such instruction shall be designed to promote parental involvement, foster
positive self concepts 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.
§ 22.1-207.1:1. Family life education; certain curricula and Standards of Learning.
A. Any family life education curriculum offered by a local school division shall require the Standards of Learning objectives related to dating violence and the characteristics of abusive relationships to be taught at least once in middle school and at least twice in high school, as described in the Board of Education's family life education guidelines.
B. Any high school family life education curriculum offered by a local school division shall incorporate age-appropriate elements of effective and evidence-based programs on the prevention of dating violence, domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Such age-appropriate elements of effective and evidence-based programs on the prevention of sexual violence may include instruction that increases student awareness of the fact that consent is required before sexual activity.