Stop the Sexualization of Children Act
Sponsored By: Senator Banks, Jim [R-IN]
Introduced
Summary
Ban on federal education funds for sexually oriented material aimed at children under 18. This bill would bar use of funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to develop, implement, host, or promote any program, activity, or materials that expose children under 18 to nude adults, stripping, or lewd or lascivious dancing, and it defines sexually oriented material to include depictions of sexually explicit conduct and materials involving gender dysphoria or transgenderism.
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- Families and students: Parents and students would be shielded from federally funded programs or materials that meet the bill’s definition of sexually oriented material, including content involving gender dysphoria or transgenderism.
- Schools and teachers: Schools and teachers could not use ESEA funds for programs or materials that fall under the ban, but the bill expressly allows instruction in standard science courses, texts of major world religions, classic literature, and classical art.
- Curriculum developers and cultural programs: Organizations that create or receive funding for school materials would need to avoid content the bill defines as sexually oriented and may rely on specified lists for allowed classic works, such as Smarthistory AP Art History volumes and Compass Classroom reading lists.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Limits federally funded school materials for kids
This bill would bar using funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act for programs, activities, or materials aimed at children under 18 that include sexually oriented material. It would ban material that exposes children to nude adults, individuals who are stripping, or lewd or lascivious dancing. "Sexually oriented material" would include depictions of sexually explicit conduct under 18 U.S.C. 2256(2) and material that involves gender dysphoria or transgenderism. The rule would apply to states, school districts, schools, and their contractors that get ESEA money. It would not stop ESEA funds from being used to teach standard science coursework (including human anatomy and physiology), the texts of major world religions, classic works of literature, or classic works of art. The bill names specific published sources that define those classic works as of the date of enactment, including Smarthistory AP Art History volumes 1–5 (2019–2020) for art and the Great Books of the Western World (second edition, 1990) plus two Compass Classroom "Classics" articles for literature.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov