Abstinence not 'expected norm' in updated Pittsburgh Public Schools sex education policy
Pittsburgh Public Schools updated its sexuality education policies and will no longer teach that abstinence is the “expected norm.”
The school board unanimously approved the changes this week.
“It is in the public’s best interest to ensure that young people are equipped with medically and scientifically accurate, developmentally appropriate information that will help them make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health throughout their lives,” the policy reads.
While the policy acknowledges that the “primary responsibility” for sexual health education lies with parents and guardians, it also highlights the district’s “commitment to providing high-quality comprehensive sexual education.”
The policy is in effect for all students, beginning in kindergarten.
The update approved by the school board this week removes from the policy language that indicates sexual education classes should emphasize sexual abstinence as “the expected norm.”
The policy still teaches that abstinence is “the only protection that is 100% effective against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV when transmitted sexually.”
The school’s sexual education curriculum will use the National Sex Education Standards, according to the updated measure.
New language added into the policy specifies that the material should be “complete and medically accurate, culturally responsive, anti-racist, inclusive, developmentally appropriate information.”
The sexuality education program previously had six major categories: relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, society and culture.
Those have been replaced with seven knew categories: consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence.
Parents are able to complete opt-out forms to have their children excused from specific topic areas of the sexuality education curriculum. Those students will be provided with an alternative assignment.
A spokesperson for the district was not immediately available to comment on the updated policy.
Julia Felton is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jfelton@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.