Alabama § 16-40A-2 Minimum Contents to Be Included in Sex Education Program or Curriculum

Alabama Statutes

§ 16-40A-2 — Minimum Contents to Be Included in Sex Education Program or Curriculum

Alabama § 16-40A-2

Title 16Education

Ch. 40AResponsible Sexual Behavior and Prevention of Illegal Drug Use

This text of Alabama § 16-40A-2 (Minimum Contents to Be Included in Sex Education Program or Curriculum) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Ala. Code § 16-40A-2 (2026).

Text

(a)Any program or curriculum in the public schools in Alabama that includes sex education or the human reproductive process shall, at a minimum, include and emphasize the following:

(1)Abstinence from sex is the only completely effective protection against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when transmitted sexually.

(2)Abstinence from sex outside of marriage is the expected social standard for unmarried school-age persons.

(b)Course materials and instruction that relate to sexual health education or sexually transmitted diseases and infections shall be age-appropriate and medically accurate.

(c)Course materials and instruction that relate to sexual health education or sexually transmitted diseases and infections,

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(a) Any program or curriculum in the public schools in Alabama that includes sex education or the human reproductive process shall, at a minimum, include and emphasize the following:
(1) Abstinence from sex is the only completely effective protection against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when transmitted sexually.
(2) Abstinence from sex outside of marriage is the expected social standard for unmarried school-age persons.
(b) Course materials and instruction that relate to sexual health education or sexually transmitted diseases and infections shall be age-appropriate and medically accurate.
(c) Course materials and instruction that relate to sexual health education or sexually transmitted diseases and infections, if available, shall include all of the following elements:
(1) An emphasis on sexual abstinence as the only completely reliable method of avoiding unintended teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections.
(2) The emphasis shall be on the importance of delaying sexual activity and discouraging risky sexual behavior.
(3) Statistics based on the latest medical information that indicate the degree of reliability and unreliability of various forms of contraception, while also emphasizing the increase in protection against pregnancy and protection against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection, which is afforded by the use of various contraceptive measures.
(4) Information concerning the laws relating to the financial responsibilities associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing.
(5) Information concerning the laws prohibiting sexual abuse, the need to report such abuse, and the legal options available to victims of sexual abuse.
(6) Information on how to cope with and rebuff unwanted physical and verbal sexual exploitation by other persons.
(7) Psychologically sound methods of resisting unwanted peer pressure.
(8) Comprehensive instruction in parenting skills and responsibilities, including the responsibility to pay child support by non-custodial parents, the penalties for non-payment of child support, and the legal and ethical responsibilities of child care and child rearing.
(d) Parents or guardians shall be given advanced, written notification of the teaching of any sex education or of the human reproductive process. Upon request and prior to distribution to students, the school shall make available to parents or guardians the sex education curriculum.