BY ROXANA KOPETMAN
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
California could become the first in the country to teach high schoolers about consent, violence and relationships.
California legislators passed a bill to expand high school sex education, with the nation’s first law directing teachers to tell students about sexual consent.
On Friday, the California Senate approved SB695 by a 78-1 vote. It would require most public school districts to teach students in health classes about such issues as sexual harassment, assault , violence and the importance of developing positive and healthy relationships.
The bill now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown for his consideration.
The bill, by Sen. Kevin De León, D-Los Angeles, and Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, piggybacks on the “yes means yes” bill passed last year. That law, also the first of its kind, requires state-funded colleges to beef up investigations of sexual assault reports and establish clear rules about sexual consent.
Supporters describe the laws as part of a national conversation about sexual assaults on campuses.
“If we want to prevent sexual assault, it’s important that we start early,” Jackson said in a statement.
“This bill will ensure that discussions about healthy relationships and consent are taking place in high school, with young women and young men, so we can help establish boundaries of acceptable behavior ... and prevent sexual assault before it occurs.”
In California, sex education is not required, but about 96 percent of the state’s school districts provide it, according to the California Department of Education website.
School districts typically include sex education as part of a required health course, often taken during freshman year. Instruction on HIV and AIDS prevention is obligatory for all schools.
The De León/Jackson bill was greeted with mixed reviews in the Inland area.
If SB695 becomes law, it would be taught in health classes that students take in the ninth and 10th grades, said Elliott Duchon, superintendent of the Jurupa Unified School District.
“I see this as something positive,” Duchon said. “If I had daughters, I’d want them to learn about this.”
Hemet Unified School District board President Ross Valenzuela was apprehensive to weigh in on what could become new standards for the state without looking into the issue more.
Regardless, Valenzuela said whatever course of action is directed by the state, Hemet Unified is ready to do it’s part – to an extent.
“We will follow the law, but will always allow parents who have issues with buy-in or who disapprove for whatever reason ... we’re willing to accommodate those exceptions,” he said.
Lake Elsinore Unified School District Director of Secondary Curriculum Brian Deis said that implementing the new requirement won’t be difficult once the district receives direction from the California Department of Education. “From there we will work with our teaching staff to develop appropriate curriculum that can easily (be) infused in our current curriculum,” Deis wrote in an email. Duchon said the goal is to let students know they have rights if they are coerced into sexual behavior. “I wish we didn’t have to teach this,” Duchon said. “Unfortunately, we do.”
Staff writers Sandra Stokley, Richard Montenegro Brown and Tom Sheridan contributed to this report.
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