WASHINGTON — As universities and colleges face heightened scrutiny over their handling of campus rape, two Democratic senators want high schoolers to be required to learn about sexual assault.
The Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015, introduced on Tuesday by Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would expand health education in public secondary schools to include learning on “safe relationship behavior” aimed at preventing sexual assault, domestic violence and dating violence. Under current federal law, health and sex education classes needn’t include sexual assault prevention.
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It’s unclear whether Republicans on the committee will be as supportive. The issue of sexual education has often proved a sticking point for conservatives, who have pushed for abstinence-only education. A spokesman for Alexander did not immediately return a request for comment.
