- Maryland state law mandates the teaching of sex ed.
- All sex ed curricula must advocate abstinence as the best method for preventing unintended pregnancy and STIs.
- All sex ed curricula must include instruction on consent.
- Sex ed curricula must include inclusive instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
- Instruction on contraception and condoms must be medically accurate.
- Schools must provide parents or guardians the opportunity to view all instructional materials prior to their use.
- Parents or guardians may remove their children from any or all “Family Life and Human Sexuality” classes. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
- The family life and human sexuality component of Maryland’s health education instruction is required to begin “in or prior to the fifth grade,” and “as shortly in advance of puberty as is practical.”
- Curriculum development is guided by Maryland’s health education standards, which are based on the National Health Education Standards.
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 Maryland profile.