Sex Education Mandatory in Half of U.S. States

25 states and the District of Columbia have laws that make it mandatory to teach school children sex education. But just as many states (with or without mandatory sex ed) have passed laws that require teachers to stress abstinence as the best contraception method if they are teaching sex ed.

According to the Guttmacher Institute and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, 22 states and D.C. have made both sex ed and information on HIV mandatory. In 13 more states, schools are required to teach their students about HIV, but not about sex. That leaves 13 states that do not require any lessons on sexuality, contraception, STIs and HIV to be taught to their students.

The majority of states notify parents that sex ed will be on the curriculum – almost all give parents the possibility to opt out as well.Arizona, Nevada and Utah require parental consent before sex ed classes start for students.