H 5053 Session 111 (1995-1996)
H 5053 General Bill, By Harvin
A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
59-335 so as to require a parent under the age of eighteen who attends public
school to attend parenting classes; to amend Section 59-32-20, relating to
comprehensive health education instructional units provided to local school
districts by the State Board of Education, so as to require the Board to
provide information on parenting skills to local school districts; and to
amend Section 59-32-30, relating to the implementation of comprehensive health
education programs by local school boards, so as to require each local school
board to implement a program of instruction on parenting for a parent who is
under the age of eighteen and attends a public school.
05/22/96 House Introduced and read first time HJ-7
05/22/96 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public
Works HJ-7
A BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-32-35 SO AS TO REQUIRE A
PARENT UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN WHO ATTENDS
PUBLIC SCHOOL TO ATTEND PARENTING CLASSES; TO
AMEND SECTION 59-32-20, RELATING TO
COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL
UNITS PROVIDED TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY THE
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE
BOARD TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON PARENTING
SKILLS TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS; AND TO AMEND
SECTION 59-32-30, RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS BY
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, SO AS TO REQUIRE EACH
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF
INSTRUCTION ON PARENTING FOR A PARENT WHO IS
UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN AND ATTENDS A PUBLIC
SCHOOL.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. Chapter 32 of Title 59 of the 1976 Code is
amended by adding:
"Section 59-32-35. A student who is a parent shall attend
parenting classes as provided in Section 59-32-30 of the
Comprehensive Health Education Act."
SECTION 2. Section 59-32-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to
read:
"Section 59-32-20. Before August 1, 1988, The
board, through the department, shall select or develop an
instructional unit with separate components addressing the subjects
of reproductive health education, family life education, pregnancy
prevention education, parenting skills, and sexually
transmitted diseases and make the instructional unit available to
local school districts. The board, through the department, also shall
make available information about other programs developed by
other states upon request of a local school district."
SECTION 3. Section 59-32-30(A) of the 1976 Code is amended
to read:
"(A) Pursuant to guidelines developed by the board, each
local school board shall implement the following program of
instruction:
(1) Beginning with the 1988-89 school year, For
grades kindergarten through five, instruction in comprehensive
health education must include the following subjects: community
health, consumer health, environmental health, growth and
development, nutritional health, personal health, prevention and
control of diseases and disorders, safety and accident prevention,
substance use and abuse, dental health, and mental and emotional
health. Sexually transmitted diseases as defined in the annual
Department of Health and Environmental Control List of Reportable
Diseases are to be excluded from instruction on the prevention and
control of diseases and disorders. At the discretion of the local
board, age-appropriate instruction in reproductive health may be
included.
(2) Beginning with the 1988-89 school year, For
grades six through eight, instruction in comprehensive health must
include the following subjects: community health, consumer health,
environmental health, growth and development, nutritional health,
personal health, prevention and control of diseases and disorders,
safety and accident prevention, substance use and abuse, dental
health, mental and emotional health, and reproductive health
education. Sexually transmitted diseases are to be included as a
part of instruction. At the discretion of the local board, instruction
in family life education or pregnancy prevention education or both
may be included, but instruction in these subjects may not include
an explanation of the methods of contraception before the sixth
grade.
(3) Beginning with the 1989-90 school year, a At
least one time during the four years of grades nine through twelve,
each student shall receive instruction in comprehensive health
education, including at least seven hundred fifty minutes of
reproductive health education and pregnancy prevention education.
(4) The South Carolina Educational Television
Commission shall work with the department in developing
instructional programs and materials that may be available to the
school districts. Films and other materials may be designed for the
purpose of explaining bodily functions or the human reproductive
process. These materials may not contain actual or simulated
portrayals of sexual activities or sexual intercourse.
(5) The program of instruction provided for in this section
may not include a discussion of alternate sexual lifestyles from
heterosexual relationships including, but not limited to, homosexual
relationships except in the context of instruction concerning
sexually transmitted diseases.
(6) In grades nine through twelve, students must also be
given appropriate instruction that adoption is a positive alternative.
(7) In grades six through twelve, parenting
classes must be provided for students who are parents."
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the
Governor.
-----XX----- |