What is Republican Proposition 5?
Republican Proposition 5 states, "Texas parents or legal guardians of public school children under the age of 18 should be the sole decision makers for all their children’s healthcare decisions including, but not limited to, psychological assessment and treatment, contraception, and sex education."
What does my vote mean?
Voters for propositions will vote either "yes" or "no."
By voting "yes," voters agree that Texas parents or legal guardians of public school children under the age of 18 should be the sole decision makers for all of their children's healthcare decisions, including psychological assessment and treatment, contraception and sex education.
By voting "no," voters do not agree that Texas parents or legal guardians of public school children under the age of 18 should be the sole decision makers for all of their children's healthcare decisions, including psychological assessment and treatment, contraception and sex education.
According to the Texas Education Code Section 28.004, the board of trustees of each school district shall establish a local school health advisory council to assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district's health education instruction. The council is tasked with recommending appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction.
The Texas Education Code states any course materials and instruction relating to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases or HIV and AIDS shall be selected by the board of trustees with advice of the local school health advisory council. The Texas Education Code says the course must present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age and devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior.
The Texas Education Code says a school district may not distribute condoms in connection with instruction relating to human sexuality. School districts are required to teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates, if instruction on contraception and condoms is included in curriculum content.
Before each school year, school districts shall provide written notice to a parent of each student enrolled in the district of the board of trustee's decision regarding whether the district will provide human sexuality instruction to students.
Are propositions laws?
No. When voting for a proposition, that does not mean that the statement will automatically become a law. The proposition gives political parties an idea of how voters feel about key issues.
