Legislation filed Monday in the NC House of Representatives aims to enhance parental oversight in health and sex education, ensure age-appropriate instruction, and regulate access to materials in schools and libraries.
House Bill 495, Parental Rights for Curriculum and Books — filed by Reps. John Torbett, R-Gaston, and Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke —provides changes to the standard course of study in health education, ensures age-appropriate instruction, establishes processes for selecting library books and health/safety materials, requires instructional material repositories, and restricts public library access for minors to materials harmful to minors.
course of study changes
Regarding changes to the standard course of study, the bill prohibits instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality from kindergarten through sixth grade, whether it’s via school personnel or third parties. For grades 7-12, school instruction in such topics will require parental consent, with annual consent mechanisms to be established by local school boards.
The proposal also updates health education, mandating comprehensive health education from K-9, covering topics such as mental health, drug prevention, nutrition, reproductive health and CPR training.
Further, the legislation would introduce a program for fourth and fifth graders focusing on puberty and biological changes. The section would be taught in single-sex groups, with no gender identity or sexuality content, and requiring parental consent for participation.
Starting in grade 7, education on reproductive health and safety would emphasize abstinence as the expected standard, offer instruction on STD prevention, and encourage healthy relationships. The section would include topics like sex trafficking awareness and require parental consent for certain content (e.g., STDs, sexual assault). The bill also bans contraceptive distribution on school property.
library books and instruction materials
Under the proposal, local school boards would adopt policies for selecting supplementary materials, ensuring they align with the curriculum and are age-appropriate. Public hearings and parental review periods would be required before adopting or amending health and safety programs, including reproductive health, mental health, growth/development, and anti-bullying content.
The bill would also establish criteria for library book selection (e.g., educational value, age-appropriateness), with a review process involving superintendents and parental input. Access to materials would be restricted based on grade level, designated as elementary, middle, or high school. Books deemed harmful to minors would be prohibited.
Public schools would also be required to maintain physical and online repositories of all instructional and health/safety materials for parental review.
Further, the bill stipulates parents access to their minor child’s library records
Overall, the legislation builds upon a trend of enhancing parental oversight and content control within public schools following provocative pushes by social movement activists to introduce controversial topics to younger students, which have been flashpoints in cultural and political battles tied to LGBTQ+ advocacy.