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MISSOURI


Missouri Sexuality Education Law and Policy


Missouri law does not mandate sexuality education; however, in order to be accredited, school districts must teach HIV/AIDS-prevention education in elementary and middle school.


All instruction in human sexuality must be medically and factually accurate. It must also:


[P]resent abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relation to all sexual activity for unmarried pupils because it is the only method that is one hundred percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity, and advise students that teenage sexual activity places them at a higher risk of dropping out of school because of the consequences of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy.


Instruction must also:


[P]resent students with the latest medically factual information regarding both the possible side effects and health benefits of all forms of contraception, including the success and failure rates for the prevention of pregnancy and STDs [and teach students not to make] unwanted physical and verbal sexual advances or otherwise exploit another person.


Although school districts are not required to follow it, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education produced the Missouri Framework for Curriculum Development in Health Education and Physical Education. This Framework includes instructional guidelines for HIV/AIDS- and STD-prevention education starting at the high school level. School boards must determine the specific content of sexuality education classes and make sure that it is age-appropriate.


The school district must also notify parents and guardians about:


  • The basic content of the district's human sexuality instruction to be provided to the student; and
  • The parent's right to remove the student from any part of the district's human sexuality instruction.

This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.


See Missouri Revised Statute 170.015, Missouri's HIV Prevention Education Program ¸ and Missouri Framework for Curriculum Development in Health Education and Physical Education.2