After protests from students, teachers, and parents — Indiana restores consent education to school bill.

What Happened in Indiana

Earlier this year, Indiana lawmakers quietly removed consent education from a proposed sex ed bill — a decision that sparked immediate outrage. Parents, educators, advocates, and especially young people were stunned: how could a basic safety topic like consent be stripped from classrooms at a time when sexual violence rates are rising?

The removal wasn’t accidental. As the bill moved through the legislative process, language requiring instruction on consent and healthy relationships was cut. This wasn’t just a missed opportunity — it was a step backward, signaling to students across Indiana that their safety, autonomy, and education were negotiable.

But the backlash was swift. And powerful.

What happened next proved something that SafeBAE has always believed: when young people speak up, change can happen.

Students and Advocates Protest

As news spread that consent education had been removed from Indiana’s sex ed bill, the response was immediate — and loud. Students, teachers, parents, and advocacy organizations across the state mobilized in protest, refusing to stay silent about a rollback that put young people at risk.

At the heart of the pushback were students themselves. Young people took to social media to share their outrage, using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to amplify the message: consent is essential. Some created videos explaining why they needed this education in schools. Others emailed their legislators, showed up at hearings, and organized community discussions.

Advocacy groups — including youth-led organizations like SafeBAE — backed their efforts, issuing statements, sharing resources, and offering tools for action. Teachers and public health experts added their voices, reminding lawmakers that removing consent education wasn’t just irresponsible — it was dangerous.

And it worked. The message reached the statehouse: consent education isn’t optional. It’s vital.

Victory: Lawmakers Restore Consent Education

After days of outcry and growing pressure from communities across the state, Indiana lawmakers reversed course. In an update to Senate Bill 128, the requirement to teach consent as part of the sex education curriculum was reinstated.

This wasn’t just a quiet correction — it was a direct response to public pressure. Legislators acknowledged the volume of feedback they received from constituents, including countless students who made it clear that removing consent education was unacceptable.

According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the revised version of the bill explicitly includes teaching students about consent and setting personal boundaries — a win that wouldn’t have happened without the activism that followed the initial removal.

This outcome is more than a policy change. It’s a reminder that protest works. That student voices matter. And that even in systems that often feel immovable, real change is possible.

Why This Matters Nationwide

What happened in Indiana is a national signal.

Across the country, consent education continues to be debated, diluted, or left out altogether. Some states have no clear guidance on what students should be taught about boundaries, healthy relationships, or personal agency. In others, political rhetoric has drowned out public health data, putting students at risk in the name of culture wars.

Indiana proves what SafeBAE and countless young activists already know: when students demand better, the system can change. The reversal of this bill shows that youth-led movements, especially when supported by parents, educators, and community advocates, have the power to influence legislation and protect their peers.

This moment also affirms why consent education matters. Teaching consent isn’t political — it’s protective. It gives students the language to express boundaries, the confidence to respect others, and the tools to recognize unsafe situations. And when schools teach these lessons early and often, the long-term impact is measurable: less harm, healthier relationships, and safer communities.

As other states consider revising or removing these essential lessons, Indiana now stands as proof: students are watching and are not afraid to fight back.

How to Join the Fight

Indiana’s win didn’t happen by chance — it happened because people showed up. And if we want every school in the country to teach consent, this momentum has to continue.

At SafeBAE, we believe that real prevention starts with student leadership. That’s why we offer youth-led programming like our Summer Activist Institute, where teens get the tools to create change in their schools and beyond. From starting consent education clubs to advocating for policy at the district level, students everywhere can step up — and win.

Want to bring this work to your community?

• Join our 360 Schools program for full-campus prevention training.
  
• Apply to our Summer Activist Institute and learn how to lead.
• Donate to support youth-led prevention and help us keep programs like these going.