Changes in Ontario's sex education curriculum sparks controversy
The Ontario government’s new
sex education curriculum has
sparked intense debates and conversation
in London about what
we should be teaching Ontario
children about sex and at what age
they should be introduced to issues
regarding sexuality, gender expression
and consent.
The 244-page document is the first update to the Ontario sex education curriculum since 1998. A shorter version of what the curriculum teaches at what age titled, “The curriculum at a glance” is also available through the Government of Ontario website www.ontario.ca.
Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne supports the curriculum update and acknowledges the criticisms from some parents but said in April that they will have to “agree to disagree” on this issue. Liberal Education Minister Liz Sandals, another supporter of the curriculum change, said much of what is being protested was already in the curriculum from 1998, and that the only differences were that the information was brought down a few grades.
There is a spectrum of reasons why some support or oppose the changes. Protests have been held across London allowing parents who do not support the curriculum change to be heard.
The opposition has been painted as religious zealots, citing their conservative religious beliefs as the foundation of their hostility directed towards the curriculum changes. Some of these protestors have been the loudest voices in the opposition movement and are not necessarily representative of the entire group.
John Himanen is the father of three preteen daughters and is a member of the Parent’s Alliance of Ontario, an organization that has spoken out against some of the sex education changes.
Himanen said his opposition comes from a desire to keep kids, including his daughters, safe and properly informed about some of the dangers involved in sexual activity.
“The scientific and medical information being presented in this curriculum is providing a misleading perception of safety in the student’s mind… We believe that an accurate and real, meaningful consideration of the risks involved in the issues related to sex education and sexual activity, especially with young people, should be dealt with in a comprehensive way,” Himanen said.
Himanen criticized the difference in the way the curriculum warns kids about the dangers of smoking and drinking but that it does not give the same cautionary advice in the sex education portion. He emphasized that there needs to be sex education in schools.
“We insist there should be [sex education]. But we want it to be factual, one that really deals with these issues in a meaningful way, a scientific way, the way that the curriculum deals with some of the other areas [of health].”
Bruno Prado, the president of Fanshawe’s social justice club, supports the changes, and said this update “is in no way a radical change.”
“It is incredibly important for children to be able to learn accurate information about their own bodies and natural processes of life from a safe and reliable source,” Prado said, adding that not all kids get this knowledge at home and that when they don’t it will continue the cycle of misinformation.
Those who oppose the changes are in the minority, but that does not mean their views should not be acknowledged. The sex education curriculum changes bring out an emotional response in many, making this an extremely controversial issue. A compromise may be made to pacify some parents, but Wynne refuses to back down from continuing with the curriculum. It has already been implemented in schools across Ontario.
The 244-page document is the first update to the Ontario sex education curriculum since 1998. A shorter version of what the curriculum teaches at what age titled, “The curriculum at a glance” is also available through the Government of Ontario website www.ontario.ca.
Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne supports the curriculum update and acknowledges the criticisms from some parents but said in April that they will have to “agree to disagree” on this issue. Liberal Education Minister Liz Sandals, another supporter of the curriculum change, said much of what is being protested was already in the curriculum from 1998, and that the only differences were that the information was brought down a few grades.
There is a spectrum of reasons why some support or oppose the changes. Protests have been held across London allowing parents who do not support the curriculum change to be heard.
The opposition has been painted as religious zealots, citing their conservative religious beliefs as the foundation of their hostility directed towards the curriculum changes. Some of these protestors have been the loudest voices in the opposition movement and are not necessarily representative of the entire group.
John Himanen is the father of three preteen daughters and is a member of the Parent’s Alliance of Ontario, an organization that has spoken out against some of the sex education changes.
Himanen said his opposition comes from a desire to keep kids, including his daughters, safe and properly informed about some of the dangers involved in sexual activity.
“The scientific and medical information being presented in this curriculum is providing a misleading perception of safety in the student’s mind… We believe that an accurate and real, meaningful consideration of the risks involved in the issues related to sex education and sexual activity, especially with young people, should be dealt with in a comprehensive way,” Himanen said.
Himanen criticized the difference in the way the curriculum warns kids about the dangers of smoking and drinking but that it does not give the same cautionary advice in the sex education portion. He emphasized that there needs to be sex education in schools.
“We insist there should be [sex education]. But we want it to be factual, one that really deals with these issues in a meaningful way, a scientific way, the way that the curriculum deals with some of the other areas [of health].”
Bruno Prado, the president of Fanshawe’s social justice club, supports the changes, and said this update “is in no way a radical change.”
“It is incredibly important for children to be able to learn accurate information about their own bodies and natural processes of life from a safe and reliable source,” Prado said, adding that not all kids get this knowledge at home and that when they don’t it will continue the cycle of misinformation.
Those who oppose the changes are in the minority, but that does not mean their views should not be acknowledged. The sex education curriculum changes bring out an emotional response in many, making this an extremely controversial issue. A compromise may be made to pacify some parents, but Wynne refuses to back down from continuing with the curriculum. It has already been implemented in schools across Ontario.
