Politics

Legislature passes bill limiting who can teach sex education

JUNEAU -- The Alaska Legislature has passed an education bill limiting who can teach sex education in public schools.

The House Thursday revived the measure, rescinding a vote from a day earlier in which the bill had failed. This time, it narrowly passed.

The bill, from Rep. Wes Keller, deals with parental involvement in education, greater local control and student testing.

Perhaps the most contentious element calls for sex education to be taught by certified teachers under contract with a given school or someone under a teacher's supervision approved by the local school board and whose credentials parents can review. A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii has said this would create further barriers for students to receive comprehensive sex education.

It wasn't immediately clear what impact the House's failure to pass an accompanying title change resolution might have.

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