- 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.
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 ...
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.
