California law ensures accurate sex, HIV education

California governor Gray Davis last week signed into law a package of bills that ensure that students in the state receive accurate information about abstinence, human sexuality, contraception, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, through sex education programs in their schools, the Los Angeles Times reports. State senator Sheila Kuehl, a lesbian who sponsored the bills, said the measures also streamline the sex education curriculum in the state, changing the system to allow parents who do not want their children to take the classes to opt out of the program. Previously, students were required to get parental permission to take the classes, an opt-in approach. Parents also will be notified in advance if their children are slated to take sexual behavior surveys, and they can opt out of those as well.