State weighs new sex-ed curriculum

May 23—BOSTON — Students would be taught sex education in a "medically accurate, age appropriate" way under a proposal being considered by lawmakers, but critics say the changes would promote controversial views on the subject.

The proposal, one of dozens of bills heard by the Legislature's Joint Committee on Education on Thursday, would establish a statewide curriculum requiring schools that teach sex education to provide information about contraception and safe sexual activity, gender identity and sexual orientation, among other topics.

Backed by more than 80 lawmakers, the proposal wouldn't require school districts to adopt the guidelines. Parents would have to be notified at least 30 days in advance, and allowed to opt children out.

Groups such as the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts back the changes, saying they will apply statewide standards to what's currently a hodgepodge of sex-ed programs.

The groups point to studies that show abstinence campaigns and other programs telling teens to "just say no" don't prevent them from having sex.

But critics say the curriculum guidelines would introduce inappropriate information about sexual activity to students who may be too young for the material.

"Is it age-appropriate to be talking to 12-year-olds about anal or oral sex?" said Michael King, a spokesman for the conservative Massachusetts Family Institute, which opposes the measure.

Mary Ellen Siegler, of Newbury, urged the panel to reject the bill because she said it would take control of sex-ed curriculum away from local school districts.

"It mandates a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching sex-ed, which is harmful to children," said Siegler, who founded the group Massachusetts Informed Parents. "People are tired of government mandates. Control should stay local with school districts and parents."

The state Senate approved a similar proposal last January. Previous sex-ed proposals have stalled in the House of Representatives. It's not clear where Gov. Charlie Baker, a pro-choice Republican, stands on the proposal.

Massachusetts doesn't require sex-ed classes, leaving districts to decide whether to offer them and what kinds of standards to incorporate.

Some districts, such as Lawrence, emphasize abstinence in addition to the use of birth control and other forms of contraception.

In Massachusetts, the number of teen mothers has declined dramatically, which experts attribute largely to access to birth control and sex-ed classes.

Statewide 1,827 babies were born to teenage mothers in 2017, according to the latest data from the state's Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

The state's teen birth rate that year was 8.1 per 1,000 girls — the lowest in the nation.

The rate has been declining for more than a decade, the data shows.

Despite that, teen birth rates remain high in some communities north of Boston including Lawrence, Lynn and Haverhill.

If approved, the measure would take effect for the 2021-2022 school year.

Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group's newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.