Parents protest controversial sex education in Ontario
The first mention of same-sex relationships would be introduced in Grade 3.
Protests against the Ontario government’s new controversial sex ed curriculum are schedule to take place today, Feb. 24, giving voice to concerned parents.
Proponents like Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne and Education Minister Liz Sandals say the new materials, to be taught in all public and Catholic schools from Grades 1 to 12 starting this fall, address online safety, sexting (sexually explicit texting) as well as healthy relationships and consent. However the materials are similar to the controversial curriculum which was pulled by former premier Dalton McGuinty in 2010 when faith-based groups objected to the too much information too soon, approach, including information about sexually transmitted diseases and oral and anal sex in Grade 7.
The curriculum tackles gender identity and sexual orientation as early as Grade 3 and defines a number of gender identities in Grade 8 as, “male, female, two-spirited, transgender, transsexual, and intersex.” The first mention of same-sex relationships will also be introduced in Grade 3.
In at statement to the Toronto Sun, president of the Institute for Canadian Values (ICV) says, “Our little children should not be subjected to complex six gender experimental teaching,” adding parents do not want their children encouraged to question their gender.
Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto and president of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario says in a statement they will follow the curriculum though he puts the responsibility on parents to be the “primary educators of their children.”
If parents object to the curriculum, the Education Act allows parents the right to withdraw their child from the lesson.
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Monte McNaughton suggests in fact the curriculum steals the role of parents in sex education, and is speaking at protests opposing the new curriculum.
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