Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice
Abstract
The note argues that the Massachusetts Parental Notification Statute, enacted in 1996, should be amended to explicitly permit public schools to teach about sexual orientation in the context of promoting tolerance without requiring parental notification. The statute's ambiguity regarding whether such discussions fall under "human sexual education or human sexuality issues" has led to hesitation among schools and legal challenges. The author contends that clarifying the statute would align it with Massachusetts' commitment to diversity and tolerance, as reflected in court rulings like Goodridge v. Department of Public Health.
Disciplines
Constitutional Law | Education Law | First Amendment | Fourteenth Amendment | Law
Recommended Citation
Yuval Simchi-Levi,
Amending the Massachusetts Parental Notification Statute,
14
Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just.
759
(2008).
Available at:
https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol14/iss3/7
Included in
Constitutional Law Commons, Education Law Commons, First Amendment Commons, Fourteenth Amendment Commons