Right-wing, pro-family extremists can howl all they want and sufffocate on the sand where they’ve buried their heads. I give those Ontario Liberals credit – their new sex education curriculum is courageous and forward-thinking.
Bad news that the Libs have decided to shelve the proposal in order to engage in further consultation. They plainly got spooked, especially by irate members of the Catholic school board. Some Muslim groups, too, were beginning to grumble as well.
According to the new plan, Grade 1 students would be taught the names of their genitalia, at Grade 3, students would hear details about differences, in particular, gender identity, sexual orientation and learning abilities and by Grade 6, they’d be talking about masturbation and sexual practices, including anal sex.
Key studies have uncovered that kids are reaching puberty sooner than ever – any Grade 6 teacher will tell you the hormones are already roiling among their students – and fully one third of Grade 9 students are already practicing oral sex.
Sex education is designed to keep students safe and to encourage communication when it comes to sexuality.
Grade 1 is not too early to tell kids how to refer to their genitalia and what’s inappropriate touching. Anyone who’s looked up at a billboard knows that Grade 3 children are already besieged with sexual images. They need to understand their meaning and context.
For that matter, when they see me and my female partner walking down the street hand in hand, they should know exactly why. We’re women and we love each other. And they should know that same sex marriage is legal. Pro-family bigots have to face that.
Instead, they’re complaining about the school curriculum having been hijacked by homosexual extremists. Not true. The sex ed plan came via consultations with teachers and parents. They’re also moaning about the “sexualization” of children. That’s backwards. Children need to know their rights, their bodies and who gets to touch them so they can avoid being “sexualized” by predators.
The pro-family contingent worries that parents are losing their rights to educate their children as they see fit. I agree that sex ed should always only supplement parental input. Besides, if parents don’t want their kids in the classroom for sex ed, they can opt out. To concerned Muslim parents, I’d say this is what we call reasonable accomodation.
Still, pro-family spokesperson Charles McVety – pro-family’s actual a misnomer, in this case, it’s pro-het, sex-role-rigid family that they support – even refers to the sex ed plan as an act of corruption.
Let’s be clear. The main cause of teen pregnancy is ignorance not knowledge. Bring on that knowledge via information sensitively conveyed in a class room context. Silence in the classroom on the topic of sexuality is too dangerous.
Hey Mr. Premier, consult away, but don’t back down.[rssbreak]
