Vermont

• Vermont state law mandates the teaching of sexuality education as part of comprehensive health education.
• All sex ed curricula must include instruction on abstinence.
• Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on consent, but there must be instruction on sexual violence.
• Parents or guardians may remove their children from instruction pertaining to disease if the content conflicts with their religious beliefs. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
• The Vermont Health Education Sample Graduation Proficiencies & Performance Indicators and Sample Comprehensive HIV Policy for Schools: Pre-K–12 indicate benchmarks for students to achieve throughout their education. The State Board of Education also adopted the National Health Education Standards as a framework for schools to develop health curricula.

Some Sex Ed Advocates Within the State

• The Vermont Network against Domestic and Sexual Violence and their Consent Campaign
• Outright Vermont

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 Vermont profile.