- Oregon state law mandates the teaching of sexuality education, and it must be both comprehensive and medically accurate.
- All sex ed curricula must promote abstinence. However, abstinence may not be taught to the exclusion of other instruction on contraceptive and disease reduction measures.
- All sex ed curricula must recognize different sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.
- All sex ed curricula must include instruction on consent.
- Parents or guardians may remove their children from sex ed instruction. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
- Oregon’s Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators provide a foundation for curricula development.
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 Oregon profile.