An Act to amend 118.019 (2m) (e) of the statutes; Relating to: required subjects in a human growth and development instructional program. (FE)
Summary
SB887 would change Wisconsin’s human growth and development instructional program requirements by making instruction on adoption a required subject whenever a school board offers that program. Under current law, school boards may offer human growth and development instruction in grades K-12, and the law recommends certain topics, including adoption resources, prenatal care, and postnatal supports. This bill would move adoption from a recommended topic to a required one within the program.
The bill amends s. 118.019 (2m) (e) to specify that the instructional program must provide instruction in adoption, parental responsibility, and the socioeconomic benefits of marriage for adults and their children. In practical terms, it would affect school districts that choose to provide human growth and development instruction by adding a mandatory content requirement to that curriculum. The bill does not create a new standalone program; it alters the required subject matter within an existing optional instructional framework.
Impact
SB887 would directly affect school boards and school districts that offer human growth and development instruction by expanding the list of required topics they must cover. It would amend Wisconsin Statutes section 118.019 (2m) (e), changing adoption-related instruction from a recommended topic to a required one and reinforcing existing curriculum language on parental responsibility and the socioeconomic benefits of marriage. The bill’s impact is limited to educational curriculum requirements and does not appear to impose broader regulatory or fiscal changes beyond potential local implementation costs.
Sentiment
The available record shows little formal debate or recorded voting activity, and no committee transcript is available. Based on the bill’s sponsorship and subject matter, the measure appears to have been introduced in a policy environment supportive of emphasizing adoption and family structure in school instruction. However, the bill ultimately failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1, indicating that it did not advance through the legislative process despite introduction and referral to the Senate Committee on Education.
Contention
The likely points of contention are whether the state should require schools to include adoption instruction at all, and whether the bill’s emphasis on parental responsibility and the socioeconomic benefits of marriage is appropriate in a school curriculum. Supporters would likely view the measure as promoting awareness of adoption and family-related options, while critics may argue that it mandates value-laden content or narrows the scope of human growth and development education. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided materials, the specific positions of legislators or stakeholders are not documented here.
Crossfiled
An Act to amend 118.019 (2m) (e) of the statutes; Relating to: required subjects in a human growth and development instructional program. (FE)