A Montana law requiring public schools to notify parents of lessons that mention human sexuality — and allowing parents to pull their children from those lessons — can reach further and be more cumbersome than anticipated, according to some school district leaders.
Senate Bill 99 requires parents to be notified at least 48 hours in advance about lessons related to sexual education, as well as other topics, including anatomy, intimate relationships, sexual orientation, gender identity, contraception, and reproductive rights.
State Sen. Cary Smith (R-Billings), who sponsored the bill, said the law was needed because today’s comprehensive sexual education encompasses much more than just biology and anatomy. But Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Micah Hill said, “there really is no end to what might be considered given the broad definition that came out of the state legislature.”
