N.C. House Narrowly Approves School Sex-Ed Changes

The North Carolina House has narrowly agreed to allow parents of middle school students to choose what kind of sex education their children learn in public schools.

The chamber voted 62-52 on Thursday to direct local school systems to offer two types of sex education in seventh, eighth and ninth grades.

One would focus on abstinence until marriage, and another would include more information about contraception. Parents also could choose that their child receive no sex education.

The measure received tentative approval Wednesday and now goes to the Senate.

The abstinence until marriage curriculum is the current offering in most school districts. A handful of systems offer a program that teaches about contraception. The bill would require all systems to offer both tracks.