TORONTO—Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative government will be scrapping the sex education curriculum brought in by the previous Liberal government, starting with the school year in September.
Education Minister Lisa Thompson said schools will be going back to the old curriculum that was in place before 2015. The curriculum will remain in effect until the government completes a “fulsome consultation respecting parents” on how to create a new curriculum, Thompson added.
Removing the curriculum was one of Premier Doug Ford’s campaign promises. He criticized the Liberals for turning schools into what he called “social laboratories.”
The curriculum, brought in by previous premier Kathleen Wynne’s administration, was criticized by parent groups for including what they deemed age-inappropriate concepts. They were also concerned that parents weren’t adequately consulted in the development of the curriculum.
“We are very happy to see the radical sex curriculum repealed,” said Jim Hughes, president of Campaign Life Coalition National (CLC), one of the groups that spoke out against the curriculum.
“We look forward to the genuine consultations with parents and hope that Wynne’s ideological agenda will be scrapped completely.”
Thanks to all the parents for using their voice for the good of Ontario! #onpoli https://t.co/GRRleLC4k5
— Tanya Granic Allen (@TGranicAllen) July 11, 2018
The decision was criticized by Ontario’s two largest teachers’ unions, who said parents and educators were extensively consulted before the curriculum was updated, and that changing it for the upcoming school year doesn’t provide enough notice.
CLC’s vice president Jeff Gunnarson, however, says Wynne’s administration had “fake consultations with one carefully selected parent representative from a mere 1638 schools answering a vague questionnaire with motherhood statements that everybody would agree with.”
The decision was also praised by Tanya Granic Allen, a contender for the PC Party leadership, who had made scrapping the sex education curriculum her top agenda.
“Thanks to all the parents for using their voice for the good of Ontario!” she said on Twitter.
With files from The Canadian Press
