Boards must create sex ed exemption policies
By Chad Ingram
The
Ford government has instructed school boards that they must create
exemption policies for students whose parents wish to remove them from
the sex ed portion of the health and physical education curriculum.
However, while Ford said during the election campaign he would repeal
the 2015 sex ed curriculum instituted by the Wynne government, the new
curriculum is largely similar to the old one.
Ford government has instructed school boards that they must create
exemption policies for students whose parents wish to remove them from
the sex ed portion of the health and physical education curriculum.
However, while Ford said during the election campaign he would repeal
the 2015 sex ed curriculum instituted by the Wynne government, the new
curriculum is largely similar to the old one.
A
policy memorandum released by the Ministry of Education on Aug. 21
outlines the expectations for school boards. It emphasizes that students
in Grade 1 through 8, at the request of their parents, may only be
exempted from the human development and sexual health portion of the
curriculum, titled The Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical
Education, Grade 1 – 8, 2019. “Students will not be exempted from
instruction related to any other expectations in this curriculum or
related to expectations in other curriculum subjects,” the memo reads.
It also clarifies that students will be exempt from all, and not
specifically selected, lessons under that part of that of the
curriculum: “Exemptions will be granted on for instruction related to
all the human development and health expectations in a student’s grade,
and not for instruction related to selected expectations or groups of
expectations.”
policy memorandum released by the Ministry of Education on Aug. 21
outlines the expectations for school boards. It emphasizes that students
in Grade 1 through 8, at the request of their parents, may only be
exempted from the human development and sexual health portion of the
curriculum, titled The Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical
Education, Grade 1 – 8, 2019. “Students will not be exempted from
instruction related to any other expectations in this curriculum or
related to expectations in other curriculum subjects,” the memo reads.
It also clarifies that students will be exempt from all, and not
specifically selected, lessons under that part of that of the
curriculum: “Exemptions will be granted on for instruction related to
all the human development and health expectations in a student’s grade,
and not for instruction related to selected expectations or groups of
expectations.”
It
also specifies there will be no academic penalty for exemption, and
school boards may wish to hold community meetings to help parents decide
whether they wish to have children exempt from that portion of the
curriculum.
also specifies there will be no academic penalty for exemption, and
school boards may wish to hold community meetings to help parents decide
whether they wish to have children exempt from that portion of the
curriculum.
School
boards in their plans must provide information on what their
notification and communications protocol will be; what their process
will include; and how exempted students will be supervised.
boards in their plans must provide information on what their
notification and communications protocol will be; what their process
will include; and how exempted students will be supervised.
As
for notification and communications, boards must provide parents with a
list of all the human development and sexual health education
expectations by grade, inform them they have the choice to remove their
children from that portion of the curriculum, and make that exemption
available on a year-by-year basis.
for notification and communications, boards must provide parents with a
list of all the human development and sexual health education
expectations by grade, inform them they have the choice to remove their
children from that portion of the curriculum, and make that exemption
available on a year-by-year basis.
Under
process, a board’s plan must make it clear how the board intends to
deal with such situations as exemption forms being submitted past the
specified date.
process, a board’s plan must make it clear how the board intends to
deal with such situations as exemption forms being submitted past the
specified date.
As
for supervision of exempted students, parents will need to choose one
of three options: having their children remain in the classroom and do
other assigned during that portion of that part of the curriculum; have
their children leave the classroom but remain in the school under
supervision elsewhere; or having their children released from school
into their care or the care of a designate.
for supervision of exempted students, parents will need to choose one
of three options: having their children remain in the classroom and do
other assigned during that portion of that part of the curriculum; have
their children leave the classroom but remain in the school under
supervision elsewhere; or having their children released from school
into their care or the care of a designate.
The
memo says school boards must implement their plans for this school year
and make them available on their websites no later than Nov. 30.
memo says school boards must implement their plans for this school year
and make them available on their websites no later than Nov. 30.
The
communication manager for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board
told the Times the board will be reviewing the curriculum and developing
a plan in accordance with the ministry’s instruction.
communication manager for the Trillium Lakelands District School Board
told the Times the board will be reviewing the curriculum and developing
a plan in accordance with the ministry’s instruction.
“Over
the next few days we will be reviewing the updated health and physical
education curriculum which arrived from the Ministry of Education
Wednesday morning,” reads an email from Catharine Shedden. “As required,
we will be developing a policy and communication strategy to inform
parents about options to exempt their child as well as advance notice
for the teaching of certain topics. Curriculum documents are a guideline
which lay a foundation for a teaching starting point. Teachers use
their professional judgement to enrich the curriculum and ensure key
topics and student questions are responded to appropriately. Students of
all backgrounds, sexual orientation, or race will continue to be
supported by TLDSB school communities.”
the next few days we will be reviewing the updated health and physical
education curriculum which arrived from the Ministry of Education
Wednesday morning,” reads an email from Catharine Shedden. “As required,
we will be developing a policy and communication strategy to inform
parents about options to exempt their child as well as advance notice
for the teaching of certain topics. Curriculum documents are a guideline
which lay a foundation for a teaching starting point. Teachers use
their professional judgement to enrich the curriculum and ensure key
topics and student questions are responded to appropriately. Students of
all backgrounds, sexual orientation, or race will continue to be
supported by TLDSB school communities.”
During
the 2018 provincial election campaign, Ford promised he would repeal
and replace the 2015 curriculum instituted under former premier Kathleen
Wynne, with aspects of that curriculum, particularly portions dealing
with sexual orientation and gender identity, unpopular with some
parental groups.
the 2018 provincial election campaign, Ford promised he would repeal
and replace the 2015 curriculum instituted under former premier Kathleen
Wynne, with aspects of that curriculum, particularly portions dealing
with sexual orientation and gender identity, unpopular with some
parental groups.
“We’re
going to repeal the sex ed curriculum,” he told Toronto media at the
time. “The days of Liberal ideology indoctrinating our kids, they’re
done.”
going to repeal the sex ed curriculum,” he told Toronto media at the
time. “The days of Liberal ideology indoctrinating our kids, they’re
done.”
However,
the updated curriculum still contains sections on sexual orientation
and gender identity. Sexual orientation will actually be taught earlier
than in the 2015 curriculum – starting in Grade 5 rather than Grade 6.
Topics of gender identity will be taught later, in Grade 8 rather than
Grade 6.
the updated curriculum still contains sections on sexual orientation
and gender identity. Sexual orientation will actually be taught earlier
than in the 2015 curriculum – starting in Grade 5 rather than Grade 6.
Topics of gender identity will be taught later, in Grade 8 rather than
Grade 6.
The
curriculum has raised the ire of some right-wing groups. The Campaign
Life Coalition, a lobbyist group promoting promoting socially
conservative values, called the updated curriculum and the opt-out
option “a betrayal.”
