Guerrilla Sex Ed

For those seeking out better sex ed...

North Carolina

  • North Carolina state law mandates the teaching of sexuality education, though classes are not required to be comprehensive. They are, however, required to be medically accurate, and curricula must include instruction on pregnancy prevention, STDs, and HIV.
  • All sex ed curricula must explain the benefits of abstinence.
  • Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity. Rather, all sex ed curricula must teach that a faithful monogamous heterosexual marriage is the best lifelong means of avoiding STDs.
  • In fact, SB 49 was passed in 2023. It establishes a parents bill of rights and introduces clauses for further parental involvement in schools. It also requires parental notification for any health-related survey or any change in mental or emotional well-being (also known as a “forced outing” clause). Finally, it bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-4.
  • Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on consent, though they must teach refusal skills and strategies to handle peer pressure.
  • The State Board of Education must make a list of reviewed materials and approved textbooks available to parents and legal guardians at least 60 days before such instruction is provided in the classroom.
  • Parents and guardians have the ability to either exempt their children from any portion of sex ed instruction through written notification to the school principal or to give written permission for their children to participate in sex ed instruction, depending on the school district. These are referred to as “opt-out” and “opt-in” policies, respectively.
  • The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides Healthful Living: Health Education Essential Standards, which offers model policies and content outlines.

Bills to Watch

  • HB 185 was introduced in 2023. It would prohibit reproductive health education prior to 7th grade.
  • SB 74 and HB 58 were introduced in 2023. They would establish a parents bill of rights, alongside a students bill of rights.

Some Sex Ed Advocates Within the State

For more detailed information on how various districts in the state have been implementing these standards — and for recent legislation — you can read SIECUS’s North Carolina profile.