Any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instructions in health, family life education or sex education is in conflict with his conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs does not provide prior written consent to participate in any health, family life education, or sex education program shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom.

A student enrolled in a public institution of higher education which requires the fulfillment of certain classes in health, family life education or sexual education and does not authorize substitutions for those classes, may present to that institution or to the appropriate school official a signed statement that any part of the instruction in those classes is in conflict with the student's conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs and shall be excused from that portion of the class where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom.

Classroom instruction by school district personnel or third parties on sex, sex acts, abortion, birth control, sexual orientation, or gender identity shall not occur in any manner in kindergarten through grade five in any school of a school district.

This bill provides that students will receive diversity and inclusion instruction in grades 9 through 12. Under current law, school districts are required to provide students in grades kindergarten through 12 instruction on diversity and inclusion as part of the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. This type of instruction is not age appropriate for young children and is better suited for students in high school.

A parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school in the State has a fundamental right to engage in and direct their child's education that shall include, but not be limited to, the right to: [...] (4) opt their child out of any curriculum that the parent or guardian believes is in conflict with their conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs.

Provides that public school parent who objects to learning material or activity that parent considers harmful may receive voucher from school district to enroll student in nonpublic school. [...] An objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes, but is not limited to, an objection that the material or activity questions, violates, or conflicts with the parent or guardian's belief or practice regarding sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, conscience, ethics, morality, or religion.

In recent months, New Jersey's Attorney General Matt Platkin has filed and supported several amicus briefs, including one in which he joined 19 other states in urging the United States Supreme Court to block Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

This bill prohibits a board of education from providing instruction in family life education [...] or gender identity to students enrolled in preschool through grade four.

Interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by a public or nonpublic school that is a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), or a public institution of higher education or any higher education institution that is a member of the national collegiate athletic association (NCAA), national association of intercollegiate athletics (NAIA), or national junior college athletic association (NJCAA) shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on biological sex: (1) males, men, or boys; (2) females, women, or girls; or (3) coed or mixed. b. Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex. If a student's sex is disputed, a student shall establish sex by presenting a signed physician's statement that shall indicate the student's sex based solely on: (1) the student's internal and external reproductive anatomy; (2) the student's normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone; and (3) an analysis of the student's genetic makeup.

In the event that the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school district objects to a learning material or activity that is part of the curriculum, on the basis that the material or activity is harmful, withdraws his child from the school district and enrolls the child in a nonpublic school, the resident school district shall provide the parent or guardian with a voucher to support the tuition and fees of the nonpublic school. [...] An objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes, but is not limited to, an objection that the material or activity questions, violates, or conflicts with the parent or guardian's belief or practice regarding sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, conscience, ethics, morality, or religion.

Interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by a public or nonpublic school that is a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), or a public institution of higher education or any higher education institution that is a member of the national collegiate athletic association (NCAA), national association of intercollegiate athletics (NAIA), or national junior college athletic association (NJCAA) shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on biological sex: (1) males, men, or boys; (2) females, women, or girls; or (3) coed or mixed. b. Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex. If a student's sex is disputed, a student shall establish sex by presenting a signed physician's statement that shall indicate the student's sex based solely on: (1) the student's internal and external reproductive anatomy; (2) the student's normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone; and (3) an analysis of the student's genetic makeup.

Any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instructions in health, family life education or sex education is in conflict with his conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs does not provide prior written consent to participate in any health, family life education, or sex education program shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom.

In recent months, New Jersey's Attorney General Matt Platkin has filed and supported several amicus briefs, including one in which he joined 19 other states in urging the United States Supreme Court to block Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

This bill removes the requirement that school districts provide instruction on diversity and inclusion in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through eight as part of the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.

A parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school in the State has a fundamental right to engage in and direct their child's education that shall include, but not be limited to, the right to: [...] (4) opt their child out of any curriculum that the parent or guardian believes is in conflict with their conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs. No penalties as to credit or graduation shall result from a parent or guardian's decision to opt a student out of any curriculum pursuant to this subsection.