- Maine state law mandates the teaching of sex ed through their course on comprehensive family life education. Such teachings must be medically accurate.
- All sex ed curricula must emphasize abstinence.
- All sex ed curricula must include instruction on consent.
- Sed ed curricula are not required to include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Parents or guardians may remove their children from comprehensive family life education classes. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
- Comprehensive family life education must be taught in kindergarten through grade 12. The information provided must be medically accurate, age-appropriate, and must respect community values and encourage parent-child communication.
- Programs must teach about abstinence, healthy relationships, contraception and family planning, STDs, affirmative consent, and conflict resolution.
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 Maine profile.