This bill assumes a lack of existing policy around "sexually explicit" materials in schools, which is not supported in reality. Information around sexual health and abuse is already highly sanitized in Virginia school districts.

The mechanisms of this bill are not protective. Rather, they will likely be used in Virginia school districts to further restrict necessary information on sexual health; marginalize LGBTQ+ and disabled students who often lack supportive and relevant health education; and encourage a culture of silence and victim-blaming around issues of sexual abuse and dating violence in educational settings. 

Make no mistake: students do experience sexual abuse and exploitation. But it is not by receiving accurate and comprehensive information in health class.