Schools may soon be teaching new definition of sexual consent

SPRINGFILD - Illinois schools might soon be teaching a new, fuller definition of what it means to give sexual consent.

"Teaching consent tells you that, 'I have the right to have my own bodily autonomy, and somebody should respect that,'" said Brigid Leahy, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. "It's not my fault when somebody violates my person without me agreeing to it."

Language supporting this idea can be found in Chicago Democratic Rep. Ann Williams' bill filed last week, which attempts to put a fuller definition of consent into the Illinois code detailing how schools must teach sex education.

Surrounded by a group of lawmakers and advocates including Leahy, Williams spoke about House Bill 3550 during a news conference Thursday, Feb. 21.

By law, public K-12 schools in Illinois don't have to teach sex education. Those that choose to, however, must follow the state's requirement that curriculum be "developmentally and age-appropriate," "medically accurate," "evidence-based" and "complete."

Williams' bill would add a requirement for schools that teach sex education, expanding the definition of consent from the brief treatment it was originally given - "[there must be] discussion on what constitutes sexual consent" - to a detailed list of what consent means, and how it might show up during a sexual encounter.