The new sex ed: classroom oversight.

• Author: Brown, Elizabeth Nolan
• Position: Proposed Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015 - Brief article

LAWMAKERS ARE looking to revamp American sex education, but this time around the focus isn't on abstinence, birth control, or any of the usual suspects. The Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would introduce "safe relationship behavior"--including affirmative consent and sexual-assault prevention--into sex-ed curricula.

Kaine's bill was inspired by conversations with University of Virginia students following the publication of Rolling Stone's now-discredited article about rape on their campus. Originally introduced (and stalled) in February 2015, it has since been rolled into the Every Child Achieves Act--an overhaul of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law--which passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support in July.

The bill calls for education that "teaches students to recognize and prevent coercion, violence, or abuse, including physical and emotional relationship abuse," and "includes education regarding...