California Pushing Schools to Disclose Families Who ‘Opt-Out’ of Comprehensive Sexuality Education Instruction

In March 2024, Los Angeles Assemblyman Rick Zbur sent a letter to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee asking for a state audit of the implementation efforts related to the California Healthy Youth Act – Comprehensive Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS Instruction – in school districts across the state.

According to Zbur, a Democrat who is “a former Executive Director of Equality California,” the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ lobbying organization, the “California Healthy Youth Act requires sexual health education for middle and high school students and applies to all public and charter schools” – roughly 5.8 million pupils.

Zbur is looking for “an analysis of districts’ adoption of California Healthy Youth Act -compliant sexual and reproductive health education, HIV/AIDS prevention education, and healthy relationship education.”

“Such an audit is needed to obtain neutral recommendations and strategies to ensure districts implement the law and effectively teach sexual and reproductive health education.”

This is no longer basic biology, or the birds and the bees. And there is nothing “neutral” about the recommendations and strategies when considering “Sexual and reproductive health education programs that include lessons on healthy relationships.”

Assemblyman Zbur cites “data” in his audit request from Equality California, which as we said is the state’s largest LGBTQ+ lobbying organization, which notably was a sponsor and supported Senate Bill 145 by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill to “Protect Sex Offenders Who Have Homosexual Sex with Minors,” the Globe reported in 2020. Under SB 145, the offenders would not have to automatically register as sex offenders if the offenders are within 10 years of age of the minor, so a 24-year-old can have sex with a 14-year-old and escape a felony conviction and requirement to be registered as a sex offender, even though the legal age of consent in California is 18 years of age – the age at which a person can legally consent to any sexual intercourse.

Zbur’s source for claiming “Data also suggests that comprehensive health education results in lower rates of unplanned teenage pregnancy, lower rates of HIV/AIDS transmission, and lower rates of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) spread in general,” is this – a study titled: The Effectiveness of Group-Based Comprehensive Risk-Reduction and Abstinence Education Interventions to Prevent or Reduce the Risk of Adolescent Pregnancy, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and Sexually Transmitted Infections. It comes to us via the Department of the Interior.

And the source for this statement: “Research has demonstrated that receiving comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education results in healthier, lower risk behaviors relating to sexual activity such as a reduced number of sexual
partners, a reduced frequency of unprotected sex, and increased condom and contraceptive use,” is Equitable Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for all Youth at the American Academy of Pediatrics (which has gone totally woke and rogue).

Notably, the California Department of Education says “Comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education may be taught in grades K-6.” That means “all-inclusive, extensive, far-reaching and thorough” sexual health education may be taught in grades K-6 – that’s 5-year olds up through 11-year olds.

I know many teachers who find this mandated hyper-sexual education an affront to children and families.

One teacher shared that every year, most of his student’s families opt out of this sex-ed curriculum.

The teacher told the Globe that when district officials asked why so many families opt out, he told them to call the parents and ask them for the first-hand explanations and concerns.

The teachers also shared that the process for opting out of the hyper-sexual education is difficult and confusing. Parents, if they are informed properly, have to write a letter to the teacher/school informing them they wish to have their child not participate.

Teachers are being asked to provide their school districts with the total numbers of students whose families opted out of the state’s Comprehensive Sexual Health Education.

In his letter requesting the audit, Assemblyman Zbur said that the audit should include, but not be limited to, the following inquiries and analyses:

1. Does the school district provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education? If so, at which grade levels?

2. Does the school district provide HIV/STI prevention education? If so, at which grade levels?

3. Does the school district provide healthy relationship education? If so, at which grade levels?

4. When the school district modifies curriculum used, what is the process to ensure that curriculum modifications comply with Education Code sections 51930–51939?

5. Is the sexual and reproductive health, HIV/STI education, and healthy relationship curriculum and instruction intentionally inclusive of LGBTQ+ bodies and relationships?

6. Does your local education agency have a memorandum of understanding or contract with an outside agency to provide CHYA-compliant sexual and reproductive health education and healthy relationship education or to train teachers who provide this instruction? If it does not have either, how does the district ensure instructors are well trained and prepared to provide CHYA-compliant instruction?

7. Is student participation mandatory (unless a parent or guardian submits an affirmative opt-out), or is the program optional (requiring parents to opt-in on behalf of their child)?

8. How many parents/ guardians have submitted an affirmative opt-out for their students in the last 24 months?

9. How many parents/ guardians have requested to preview instructional materials related to comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education instruction? How does the district provide the opportunity for review?

10. What percentage of students in the relevant grade levels have received CHYA-compliant sexual and reproductive health education and healthy relationship education, as outlined in the California Healthy Youth Act, in the last 24 months? How is the district working to ensure this percentage is compliant with state law (all pupils minus those excused by a parent or guardian)?

11. What barriers or challenges has the local education agency faced in implementing CHYA- compliant instruction? This information should be collected in a manner that allows district staff to be forthright with those conducting the audit.

The studies cited place “prominent focus on social justice and equity, as well as intersectionality.” They also focus in detail on “Appreciation of sexual diversity, Lower homophobia, Reduced homophobic bullying, Expanded understanding of gender/gender norms, Recognition of gender equity, rights, and social justice, Dating and intimate partner violence prevention, and Healthy Relationships.”

…and: “Equitable access to comprehensive sex education, contraception, and abortion is a critical component of adolescent health. Pediatric health clinicians play an important role in supporting and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care for all adolescents and young adults.”

Most of this originated at the World Health Organization (WHO), which says “the UN’s global guidance indicates starting Comprehensive Sexuality Education at the age of 5 when formal education typically begins.”

It all comes out of the UN.