Massachusetts students will now obtain a a lot more inclusive sex and well being education, following a unanimous vote by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. These updated curriculum frameworks aim to cover a variety of subjects such as LGBTQ+ troubles, bodily autonomy, mental and emotional well being, dating security, nutrition, sexually transmitted infections, and consent. This is the 1st update to the recommendations due to the fact 1999.

The new requirements are categorized into 4 age groups: pre-K by way of second grade, grades three-five, grades six-eight, and grades 9-12. For the youngest students, the concentrate is on healthful consuming, pressure management, hygiene habits, emergency response, advertising respect, bullying prevention, and the significance of taking medication when prescribed.

As students progress by way of their education, the recommendations involve modules on sex education, healthful relationships, gender identity, substance abuse, human and sex trafficking awareness, and proof-primarily based physical education procedures.

This choice by the Board of Education follows a public comment period more than the summer time, throughout which the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education received practically five,400 comments. The proposal to update the state’s sex education recommendations was initially announced by Governor Maura Healey in June, aligning with prior legislation attempts that had failed in the Massachusetts Home.

Even though the Senate has previously passed the “Healthy Youth Act” aimed at updating sex education, complete bills addressing human anatomy, sexually transmitted illnesses, HIV and AIDS, contraception, dating violence, and gender and sexual identity repeatedly failed to pass in the Home.