Are Texas public schools required to teach sexual education?
Yes. SB1 in the Texas Legislative Session outlines protocol regarding sexual education in public schools. All public schools in Texas must teach abstinence-based education, which must emphasize abstinence as the most effective way to avoid pregnancy and STIs. This is different, however, than abstinence only education. Abstinence-based education allows schools to teach about contraceptives and protection against STIs, and also allows for the distribution of condoms, provided that the information regarding condom usage and the actual distribution of condoms are separate. Local school districts have the power to decide what information will be distributed to their students.
