SW News: A new law in the American state of Virginia warrants that every family will be notified if their child will be exposed to sexually explicit content in public schools. Parents will be permitted to review such material and be given the option of an alternative.

Virginia has been a center of conflict between parents and school boards. Parents have to be given prior notice if schools plan to use any material with sexually explicit content, which it defines as "any description, picture, photograph, drawing, motion picture film, digital image or similar visual representation depicting sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, coprophilia, urophilia, or fetishism."

Officials with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) said school boards have until January 2023 to adopt the regulations.

The Act reflects legislative confidence in parents to make suitable decisions as to whether their child should be allowed access to any educational material with sexually objectionable content.

As per the new law, each parent has the right to make choices about their child’s education based on customs, faith, and values. Local school boards should also develop policies that provide parents the chance to change their decision by providing a notice to the school.

The law says that the leadership at each school shall establish a method for identifying instructional materials with sexually explicit content. Before the start of the academic year, schools shall identify specific instructional materials that include sexually explicit content which may be used during the upcoming school year. When finding whether instructional materials contain sexually explicit content, teachers, principals, and division staff should reflect on student age and maturity and whether a parent might rationally consider the instructional content harmful to their child.

At least 30 days before the use of any instructional materials with sexually explicit content, principals shall provide written notice to parents. Such notice should be provided in writing to parents by US mail, e-mail, and/or in person at a parent-teacher meeting, says the law.

Upon a parent’s request, schools shall provide alternative instructional materials for the students in a manner that is not punitive.