Part Definitions

  1. Law
  2. Tennessee Code
  3. Education
  4. Elementary and Secondary Education
  5. Family Life Curriculum
  6. Part Definitions

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As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

  1. “Abstinence” means not participating in any activity that puts an individual at risk for pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease;
    1. “Abstinence-based” or “abstinence-centered” means an approach that promotes sexual risk avoidance, or primary prevention, and teaches vital life skills that empower youth to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships, accurately understand sexually transmitted diseases and contraception, set goals, make healthy life decisions, and build character;
    2. Abstinence-centered education is a holistic approach that addresses the physical, social, emotional, psychological, economic and educational consequences of nonmarital sexual activity;
  3. “Abstinence-centered curriculum” means that the majority of the content of a curriculum promotes sexual risk avoidance as the primary goal. Supplemental topics in the curriculum, such as healthy relationships and substance abuse, reinforce the goal of primary prevention;
  4. “Age-appropriate” means designed to teach concepts, information and skills based on the social, cognitive, emotional and experience level of most students at a particular age level;
  5. “Evidence-based approach” means an approach:
    1. That has a clear theoretical base that integrates research findings with practical implementation expertise that is relevant to the field;
    2. That matches the needs and desired outcomes for the intended audience; and
    3. That if implemented well, demonstrates improved outcomes for the intended audience;
  6. “Family life education” means an abstinence-centered sex education program that builds a foundation of knowledge and skills relating to character development, human development, decision making, abstinence, contraception and disease prevention;
  7. “Gateway sexual activity” means sexual contact, as defined in subdivision (12), that could precipitate engagement in a nonabstinent behavior. A person promotes a gateway sexual activity by encouraging, advocating, urging or condoning gateway sexual activities;
  8. “Medically accurate” means information that is grounded in evidence-based, peer-reviewed science and research;
    1. “Puberty” means a developmental stage during which the pituitary gland triggers the production of testosterone in boys and the production of estrogen and progesterone in girls;
    2. Puberty typically begins in girls between nine (9) and twelve (12) years of age, and in boys between eleven (11) and fourteen (14) years of age;
    3. Puberty is the period during which adolescents become capable of reproduction and experience various bodily changes;
  10. “Risk avoidance” means an approach that encourages the prevention of participation in risk behaviors as opposed to merely reducing the consequences of those risk behaviors;
  11. “Sexual activity” means sexual penetration or sexual contact, or both;
  12. “Sexual contact” means sexual contact as defined under § 39-13-501;
  13. “Sexual intercourse” means that a male reproductive organ is inserted into any bodily orifice; and
  14. “Sexually transmitted disease” (STD) means a disease that is caused by bacteria, virus or parasite that is transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact. A sexually transmitted disease is also referred to as a sexually transmitted infection (STI).


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