Health

Healey’s sex education plan would bypass Legislature

The push for sex education reform has stalled on Beacon Hill for years. With a new proposal, Gov. Maura Healey is trying a different avenue.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, pictured at Boston’s Pride parade earlier this month, said her proposed updates would make the state’s health and physical education framework LGBTQ+ inclusive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate. Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

By Abby Patkin

June 22, 2023

3 minutes to read

When Massachusetts’s sex education guidelines were last updated in 1999, former Gov. Paul Cellucci held the corner office, the Dunkaccino (rest in peace) had yet to make its debut, and the Curse of the Bambino was still going strong.

On Wednesday, Gov. Maura Healey unveiled a draft proposal to take the state’s health and physical education framework into the 21st century.

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The governor’s proposal would revise the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) existing Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework. Intended for public school students in grades pre-K through 12, the new framework would be “LGBTQ+ inclusive, medically accurate and developmentally- and age-appropriate,” Healey’s office explained in a press release.

“As the proud daughter of a school nurse and health and sex education teacher, I believe strongly that all students deserve inclusive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate health guidelines,” Healey said in a statement. “All of our students benefit when they learn from up-to-date, evidence-based material grounded in science.”

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will take up the draft framework at its June 27 meeting. If the board votes in favor of sending the draft out for comment, the public will have 60 days to weigh in. At that point, DESE will consider the feedback and bring the draft back to the board for a vote on adopting the new guidelines.

The Healey Administration’s proposal covers many of the same areas as the Healthy Youth Act, proposed legislation that would create curriculum guidelines for districts that offer sex education and require schools to depend on medically accurate and age-appropriate information.

Previous iterations of the bill have passed in the state Senate multiple times but failed to clear the House; Healey’s proposal would skirt the Legislature. Several of the Healthy Youth Act’s House and Senate sponsors were on hand for the governor’s announcement Wednesday.

I sincerely thank @MassGovernor and her admin for appreciating the importance of comprehensive, inclusive, medically accurate, and age-appropriate health and physical education. I'm thrilled that our youth will get the tools they need to build healthy relationships. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/1WneFo3cvT
— Rep. Jim O'Day (@RepJimODay) June 21, 2023

When it comes to the health and physical education framework, sex ed is just the tip of the iceberg. According to the press release from Healey’s office, the draft proposal also covers mental and emotional health, safety from gun violence, physical health and hygiene, nutrition, healthy relationships, substance use and misuse, and public health, among other subjects.

“By providing our students with cutting-edge best practices around health and wellness, we can better prepare the next generation for lifelong health,” Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll said in a statement.

Even with the framework, school districts will decide at the local level which curriculum and materials to use, Healey’s office noted. Under state law, parents also have the right to opt their children out of sex ed lessons.

The Healthy Youth Coalition was thrilled to be there today to celebrate this announcement, bringing the 1999 Health Education Framework into the 21st century. Thank you, @MassGovernor and @MassLtGov, for helping us achieve many of the goals of the #HealthyYouthAct! #mapoli https://t.co/BjEu9gOtQI
— Healthy Youth Coalition (@healthyyouthma) June 21, 2023

The framework is split up into four grade spans, from early learners to high schoolers. For example, students in pre-K through second grade might learn about different types of families — single parent families, adoptive families, families with same-gender parents, etc. — and how to set and respect boundaries for physical touch.

Meanwhile, lessons on reproductive anatomy, sexual intercourse, and the differences between biological sex and gender identity would begin around Grades 3 to 5. Students would be introduced to information on HIV and sexually transmitted infections in Grades 6 to 8.

Healey’s proposal drew praise from several state leaders, students, educators, and advocates, many of whom shared statements of support in the press release.

“An outdated health education framework in Massachusetts fails to provide our next generation with the knowledge and tools they need to make safe choices and foster healthy relationships, especially for LGBTQ+ youth,” LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Kate Hogan and Sen. Julian Cyr said in a statement.

“All youth deserve medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive health resources,” they added. “Today’s actions will help future generations live informed and healthy lives.”