Virginia education department crafting policies for sexually explicit content

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Virginia education department crafting policies for sexually explicit content

By JESS NOCERA Richmond Times-Dispatch 14 hrs ago 9

RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Education is finalizing model policies to ensure parents are notified if their children are being taught sexually explicit instructional materials in the classroom.

Wednesday marked the last day for Virginia residents to weigh in on the new policies that the department drafted. Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill in April — sponsored by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, R-Henrico — requiring the education department to develop — and local school boards to adopt — such policies.

According to the VDOE policy, parents will be notified at least 30 days in advance if any instructional materials with sexually explicit content (as defined by the model policy) will be taught in their child’s classroom. At that time, parents will be able to review the materials. On school websites, principals will maintain a current list of sexually explicit instructional materials by grade and subject.

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While Susan Muskett, president of Pro-Family Women, a pro-life organization based in Arlington, wrote positively of the model policies in the online town hall, she cited some concerns with the document. ... Muskett characterized the policies “as a much-needed tilt toward restoring parental rights and welcomes all efforts toward making parental notification of sexually explicit material a more standardized and open procedure.”

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[e-mail] Twitter: @jessmnocera