Thursday, March 26, 2015

2015 sex ed curriculum

Mrs Kathleen Wynne wants to update the sexual education part of the grade 1 - 8 curriculum.

She promised "wide parent consultation" which to her, means that schools will HAND PICK ONE (1) parent from each school to represent the views of that's schools parents.

Kathleen's adviser at the time of preparing this curriculum, was recently arrested on the chargers of making child pornography

Here is a quick run down that curriculum, with my opinions.

All text that appears this way, are direct quotes, taken from the proposed curriculum  
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health1to8.pdf

DISCLAIMER: The original article was based on the 2010 version - I am in the process of updating it to the 2015 one - so note that there may be some mistakes. Quotes in red are already updated to the recent version

Grade 1 [6 year old kids]


identify body parts, ... genitalia (e.g.penis,testicles,vagina,vulva)
page 81 


Page 81 http://www.canadianvalues.ca/SCC/health18curr2010.pdf
How to describe "vulva" to a 6 year old? Describing penis & vagina, is understandable; those are visible differences. Teachers will be forced to exhibit detailed anatomical diagrams that so nothing but spark child's curiosity

While kids in grade 1 may not even care, note that kids are required to "identify testicles, vulva, using correct terminology" by grade 1,  meaning that if in grade 3 or 5 they still cannot, the material should be re-introduced.

The real purpose, is to sexualize kids as early as possible!

We talk about these body parts[penis, vagina], like all body parts, with respect.
page 81 

Sounds like a benign statements. Of course we should treat all body parts with respect!

But are the genitalia, just like any other body part?
Do we treat genitalia the same as we do face, hair, hands?

What is the purpose of this statement?
If to prevent sexual abuse, as Mrs Kathleen Wynne would have us believe, should we not stress that those parts are not just like any-other body part? That they should be treated with special respect? Should we not stress that touching someone's genitalia is not like shaking someone's hands?

Grade 3 [8 year old kids]


We all come from different families. Some students ... have two mothers or two fathers.
page 112

Each child has a mother and a father. Mrs Kathleen Wynne feels we can simply redefine father; make it synonymous with male caregiver.

Well, I don't agree! I have no problem saying "some students have one father with a second male caregiver", but no child, has two fathers.We have terms like step-father, for this exact purpose; to separate a biological father, from caregivers.

Grade 5 [10 year old kids] 


Female body parts that mature (...) as a part of puberty
include the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, endometrium, and clitoris.
 
Male body parts (...) the penis (with or
without the foreskin), scrotum, urethra, testicles, prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and vas deferens 
 
“During puberty, girls will develop breasts (...)  The penis and testicles will grow larger 
(...)  During ejaculation,(...) semen, (...) leaves the body through the urethra. Fertilization can occur when the penis is in the vagina, sperm is ejaculated(...). 
page 144

While I have no issue with teaching kids anatomy, I do question the detail for this age group. The real purpose, again, is to spark curiosity, basically to sexualize kids as soon as possible

[ I cannot control ] whether I am male or female, my gender identity, sexual orientation, and overall body shape and structure
To Katheen, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, body shape and structure are all the same born in properties

Do you want a teachers telling your kids, that although born a girl, they may actually be a boy and that they cannot change it, and that it is just like their body type?


Grade 6 [11 year old kids] 

“Exploring one’s body by ... masturbating
is something that many people do and find pleasurable. It is ... not
harmful and is one way of learning about your body.”"
page 175

Why encourage, so early, something like masturbation? only one reason - to sexualize kids as soon as possible.

As Catholics, we believe it is a sin, therefore harmful, yet a catholic school will be forced to teach that it is not. Do we, parents, have the right to decide this? Or does Mrs Kathleen

Grade 7-8 [12-13 year old kids]


“There is a range of intimate behaviours that people can use to show caring ... include touching genitals, and ... sexual intercourse. 

page 220

Should we be telling 12 year old kids, that sexual intercourse, is a way that "shows caring"? We are not talking about married couples, or even adults, but 12 year old kids. Is this appropriate for them?

Tell me, does this help kids avoid sexual abuse? Or legitimizes it? "I guess it is OK that i am being touch on genitals, that person is just showing caring."

Who decides on these things? Mrs Katheen? or you, the parent?


“It’s best to wait ... to have sex because you need to be
emotionally ready, which includes being able to talk with your partner about how you feel, being prepared to talk about and use protection"

While it is not explicit, this certainly does suggest that IF I can talk with my partner about how I feel, and I am prepared to talk about using protection, that means that I am emotionally ready, or very close to it.

Should the school teach 12 year old kids that they should decide to have sex when they feel they are ready?

"Having more information – and information that you can trust – helps
you make better decisions for yourself. ... Teens who consult a health professional before being sexually active are more likely to use protection, such as condoms, if they choose to be sexually active.”
page 202


There is not one mention, that I could find, that encourages teens or kids to talk to their parents about sex. They are to decide,  for themselves, if they are be sexually active; then go directly to heath professional. Is this what school should be teaching?


"safer sex"

There are many places where "safer sex" is mentioned. But I have not found one place, where it is thought that there is no known method of preventing the spread of genital herpes even with consistent and proper use of condoms.

Genital herpes is an incurable, relationship-debilitating STD that can only be "avoided by abstaining from having vaginal, anal, or oral sex"

It seems, Kathleen Wynne does not consider it important to be mentioned. Why? Because the purpose of this curriculum is not education but sexualization of your kids. It is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

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Here is a good article on the topic as well

Here is a nice video that shows the minister of education being called-to order multiple times when indirectly challenged.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

New Sex-ed - Will your child in a Catholic school be effected?

After speaking to a lot of parents, the same two questions are on everyone's mind, namely:
  • Will Catholic schools have to teach this curriculum?
  • Can I pull my child out of class when this material is taught in school?

Response from authorities (trustees, Catholic school board officials, even some representatives of the Catholic Church) is:
  • Will Catholic schools have to teach this curriculum?
    No, catholic schools will be able to teach their version of the curriculum 
  • Can I pulled my child out when this material is taught in school?
    yes, of course you can always pull your kids out of class when this material is taught
Understandably, most parents are quickly calmed with this response. "Understandably" because as parents (and as husband & wife)  our primary responsibility is our vocation in the family - to love each other and our children. Political activism, is not in our plan for a happy life. Many of us escaped to Canada precisely to escape political activism.

However, the truth is a lot more complicated and sinister than that. 

In my opinion, NO, you will not be able to pull your child out of such programs, and NO, your catholic school is not safe.... 

... at least in the way most parents understand both of these, from my conversations with them.

Let me explain. 

Yes, you might be able to pull your kids out of school, but not from ALL material

FACT: minister of education is on record saying that you will not be able to pull your children out from all cases

"As Ontario finally revealed on Monday an update to a sex-education curriculum that’s stagnated since 1998, parents were told they could pull their children out of some but not all of the lessons"

which ones are the "not all", namely: 

" some aspects of the new health curriculum can’t be avoided — explaining why it’s OK that some families are different, and not teasing other students because they have “two mommies” or two fathers, for instance."

source: http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/23/law-allows-parents-to-opt-out-their-children-from-controversial-ontario-sex-education-curriculum/  

What does this mean?
As all such things, its open to interpretation. Perhaps it means that when discussing same-sex marriage as equal/the same as heterosexual marriage, your child will be forced to participate. 

"The human-rights pieces [of curriculum], you’re not going to be able to exempt your [child] from those,” Mr. Barrett said."

Meaning, that when gender becomes part of human rights code, and it most likely will, lessons related to gender identify will become mandatory.

My point is, government can force your child to participate in certain lessons, and they decide which of those lessons are, not you.

Yes, Catholic school can adjust the curriculum but only so far

We are told that Catholic schools can adjust the curriculum; that they can teach if from a Catholic perspective. 

This is true. 

However, how do you teach about same-sex marriage from a catholic perspective? How do you teach about "gender"?

If you teach true catholic perspective, that same-sex marriage is not a marriage as we understand it, you could be judged to infringing on human-rights. 

What about "gender"? That is a socially constructed idea contrary to biblical teaching? I don't think this will fly!

We don't have to look far - ICE’s Executive Director Pautler [the organization that will modify the curriculum to fit catholic schools] said that ...

...while Catholic schools will be using the faith traditions of the Catholic Church as the “starting point” for interpreting  the sex-ed, nevertheless, he admitted that the “core content and expectations” of what ICE will produce will not “vary from that prescribed by the Ministry of Education.”
(https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/ontario-catholic-leadership-meekly-accepts-wynne-sex-ed-while-70000-citizen)  

Lastly, each school board decides how to allow parents to opt out and they are NOT forced to tell you about this.

"There is no province-wide process to follow if parents want to opt out. Each school board deals with such matters differently"
( http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/23/law-allows-parents-to-opt-out-their-children-from-controversial-ontario-sex-education-curriculum/   )

PLEASE DO PULL your kids out of related classes, as a form of protest at least, as a means of making a statement, but you will have to contact your school and ensure they inform you when this material is taught. I would love to hear from you  - how easy or difficult did the school make it for you? 
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The following was an opinion of one concerned parent, I invite you to comment if you feel I am mistaken.