48th legislature – STATE OF NEW MEXICO – first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Sponsor Name Here

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR SCHOOL SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS AND RULES REGARDING THE TEACHING OF THEORIES OF HUMAN SEXUALITY AND CONTRACEPTION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

“[NEW MATERIAL] TEACHING OF HUMAN SEXUALITY.–

A. The department shall adopt rules that:

(1) give teachers the right and freedom, when a theory of human sexual reproduction is taught, to objectively inform students of scientific information relevant to the strengths and weaknesses of that theory and protect teachers from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so; and

(2) encourage students to critically analyze scientific information, give them the right and freedom to reach their own conclusions about reproductive choices and provide that no student shall be penalized in any way because the student subscribes to a particular position, philosophical or physical, on human sexuality.

B. For purposes of this section:

(1) “sexual reproduction” means the act of sexual intercourse between a married or unmarried Woman and a married or unmarried Man or other Partner, culminating in Pregnancy and eventual Birth of a human child; and

(2) “reproductive choice” means information derived from observation, experimentation and analyses regarding various means for facilititating or preventing sexual reproduction. “Scientific information” does not include information derived from religious or philosophical writings, beliefs or doctrines. Scientific information may have religious or philosophical implications and still be scientific in nature.”

This site will bring you up to date information concerning the New Mexico Sexuality Education Freedom senate bill that will be introduced during the 2007 New Mexico legislative session.

This bill protects the rights of teachers to objectively inform students of scientific information relevant to reproductive choice, and protects them from being reassigned, terminated, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against for teaching objective human sexuality education. This bill will also encourage students to critically analyze scientific information and allow them to draw their own conclusions about about abstinence and contraception without being penalized.

(See the proposed bill in “Categories” to the right)

“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is afraid of its people.”
—John F. Kennedy, 1962