Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Sex ed bill goes to House floor

Published (3/11/2010)
By Kris Berggren
Share on: 



Robin Edmunds, left, and Terri Cheung testify against allowing for a family life and sexuality education program during a March 9 meeting of the House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee. (Photo by Tom Olmscheid)The House K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee revisited the hot topic of sex education in schools March 9.

Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Mpls) sponsors HF2986, which would require school districts to offer a responsible family life and sexuality education program for students in grades six through 12.

Schools’ curriculum would encourage abstinence and include age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception and disease prevention. Districts could independently choose a curriculum and establish teaching policies, in consultation with parents or guardians of enrolled students. The bill goes to the House floor after the committee approved it 12-8.

Dr. Michael Resnick, a professor of pediatrics and public health at the University of Minnesota, said that a recent survey of 1,600 Minnesota parents found that most favored sex education featuring both abstinence encouragement and medically accurate information about birth control and preventing sexually transmitted disease. About 10 percent favored an abstinence-only program, while less than 1 percent did not want any sex education in schools.

Terri Cheung, the mother of a Chaska High School junior, spoke against the bill. She said her daughter’s class, taught by instructors from a clinic outside the school, was promoted as comprehensive but was heavily weighted toward promoting contraceptive use over delaying or avoiding sexual activity.

Cheung said the school wouldn’t make the curriculum available to her despite her requests, and that it featured a contest in which students were blindfolded to see who could put a condom on a wooden model faster.

Rep. Carol McFarlane (R-White Bear Lake) said she does believe “in having healthy decision-making so our kids have the facts,” but was “disturbed” by what Cheung described.

“I almost feel like that’s bullying to our children,” said McFarlane, “and we’ve had that discussion here.”

“The problem isn’t the bill; the problem is the individual program your school has got,” said Rep. Tim Faust (DFL-Mora) noting the bill would require parental involvement in choosing a curriculum.

Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) sponsors a companion, SF2645. It awaits action by the Senate Education Committee.

Session Weekly More...


Session Weekly Home



Related Stories


The year without a K-12 law
School funding is flat, no reforms enacted
(view full story) Published 6/1/2010

House K-12 omnibus bill fast-tracked
Senate slow to respond with companion legislation
(view full story) Published 5/13/2010

K-12 education omnibus bill stalls
Teacher licensure proposals in contention
(view full story) Published 5/6/2010

K-12 education bill moves forward
Measures would activate reforms, stabilize school funding
(view full story) Published 4/29/2010

Resuscitating Race to the Top bid
New bid could hinge on proposals to boost teacher effectiveness
(view full story) Published 4/22/2010

Raiders of the lost fund
Slew of reforms could boost Permanent School Fund income
(view full story) Published 3/25/2010

Schools shore up state’s checkbook
Obscure law forces drawdown of school reserves before state can borrow
(view full story) Published 2/25/2010

At Issue: No shifts, no cuts
Education funding in a holding pattern
(view full story) Published 5/29/2009

At Issue: E-12 education bill that might have been
Funding held steady with no shifts proposed, but no Minnesota Miracle
(view full story) Published 5/15/2009

At Issue: Investing in quality care for kids
Lawmakers hope for long-term benefits of early investment
(view full story) Published 4/24/2009

At Issue: Building a better formula
Omnibus K-12 education finance bill floor debate highlights obstacles
(view full story) Published 4/24/2009

At Issue: Whose values are they anyway?
Lawmaker carries on family legacy with sex education bill
(view full story) Published 4/17/2009

First Reading: One school doesn’t fit all
Efforts put forward to tailor charter school law
(view full story) Published 4/10/2009

At Issue: Hopeful education goals in a dismal year
Omnibus bill addresses changing needs and future demands
(view full story) Published 4/3/2009

At Issue: Getting kids to move
Bill aims to ensure ‘No child left on their behind’
(view full story) Published 2/20/2009

First Reading: Accountability funding for all
A ‘New Minnesota Miracle’ requires a leap of faith
(view full story) Published 2/13/2009

At Issue: Q Comp found wanting
Performance measure has perks, but is it affordable?
(view full story) Published 2/6/2009

At Issue: Reforming education, saving money
Bipartisan support shown for mandate reduction and shared services
(view full story) Published 1/23/2009

Feature: Passing the torch of democracy
Youth immerse themselves in lingo and actions of lawmaking
(view full story) Published 1/16/2009