Trentino: Sex education courses suspended for 5,180 students

Sex education activities in Trentino's high schools have been temporarily suspended, affecting 5,180 second-year students across 54 institutions. The decision, announced by the Trentino Integrated University Health Authority (Asuit), stems from the need to define new operational procedures to comply with the rules introduced by the Valditara law on informed consent.

The halt interrupts the "Getting to Know the Counseling Center" project, part of the Provincial Prevention Plan, which involved meetings between students and healthcare professionals on topics such as contraception, reproductive health, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. The Trento Order of Midwives has expressed strong concern, warning of the risk that young people may seek unscientific information in the absence of certified programs.

Provincial Councilor for Education Francesca Gerosa clarified that the regulation does not necessarily mean the end of such initiatives but requires technical adjustments. Schools must now submit their projects to collegial bodies to ensure compliance with the new rules on prior family consent.

The controversy stems from the application of national law 104 of June 9, 2026, known as the Valditara law, dedicated to informed consent in the school setting. This legislation, which came into effect on July 7, 2026, imposes specific rules for activities related to sexuality in middle and high schools: it requires the prior written authorization of parents (or the autonomous consent of adult students) and guarantees families the ability to review educational materials and the methods of interventions in advance.

Before this law came into force, Trentino had for years been running the "Getting to Know the Counseling Center" project, part of the Provincial Prevention Plan, which brought healthcare professionals—primarily midwives—into high schools to provide certified information on sensitive topics. The program aimed to prevent health risks for adolescents through direct interaction with experts.

The new law has created an operational gap: while awaiting definitive procedures to adapt projects to the consent regulations, activities have been suspended. This has sparked a clash between those who see the law as necessary protection for the role of families and those, like the midwives, who fear negative consequences for health prevention. The current situation is a temporary standstill as educational, healthcare, and provincial institutions work to find a balance between the new rules and educational continuity.