This bill requires the California Healthy Kids Survey to include questions about sexual and reproductive health for pupils in grades 7, 9, and 11, and requires the survey to be given for grades 5, 7, 9, and 11. While the California Catholic Conference supports schools and parents working together to have critical conversations with children about sexual health and relationships, decades of research shows that young people want to hear from their parents on the topic of sexuality. This legislation oversteps parent’s role of passing on values about human sexuality to their children by requiring students to hear positive views of contraception. Additionally, AB 598 further erodes the relationship between parents and children by allowing for local control of the survey content without offering equitable resources for a variety of life choices, and excluding parent participation.
*CCC testified and got amended to remove a requirement of sharing info about obtaining an abortion in all trimesters and offering “positive community views” of abortion and contraception.