Changes to be made to Texas sex ed curriculum for first time in 2 decades

For the first time in two decades, the Texas State Board of Education is set to make changes to its sex education curriculum.

The discussion today is expected to revolve around contraception, gender identity and sexual orientation, as all three relate to sex education in schools.

Right now, the education code in Texas says that abstinence must be presented as the preferred choice of behavior for all unmarried persons who are school age if the district provides sex education.

The code also says that a school district should teach about contraception, but cannot distribute condoms to students.

In 2016, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, Texas ranked fourth in the country for teens age 15-19 giving birth.

They also reported in 2017 that 39 percent of Texas high school aged students reported having had intercourse before.

The code being discussed Monday was last updated in 1997 and advocates for revisions say a lot has changed in that time.

Here's a break down of the proposed changes that will be presented today:

• Fifth graders would learn about fertilization

• Sixth graders would be taught about intercourse

• Seventh graders would learn about how effective different forms of contraception are

The discussion will happen Monday, but the final vote on these changes will be in November, meaning it won't go into effect this coming school year.

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