The Battle for Our Children

Agenda  To provide you with an accurate overview of Ontario’s new “sex ed curriculum”  To clarify misunderstandings  To discuss possible impact on our high schools  To consider how we can discuss this with inquiring parents, the public, the media, etc.

The art and science of teaching Art: Guiding Principles, Skills Science: Knowledge and Proven Theory, Precision, and Facts What is Pedagogy?

Use education to help students question and challenge the governing beliefs and practices of their culture, with the hope that they will work to change the oppressive society Ultimate Goal of Critical Pedagogy

Resist Oppression Domination Norms

 Draws on Feminist Theory  Deals with questions of identity and normalcy and gender  What does society view as normal and subversive?  Students should challenge society’s view on what’s normal because ….there is no normal! Feminist Pedagogy

 Based on queer theory  Gender performance and sexual orientation cannot be classified as normal or deviant  “Normal” gives power – and power is oppressing  Wants to dismantle the heteronormativity and interfere with the production of normalcy in school subjects Queer Pedagogy

Equity and Inclusion  The Safe Schools Act (reg. 157) 2009  2009 – Ontario Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy is Launched  Accepting Schools Act, 2012  Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools, 2014

General Concerns  The curriculum assumes a level of executive functioning that children do not possess  The curriculum is shortsighted in places and doesn’t appreciate the implications of the material being presented  The curriculum omits important topics (pornography, self control, age of consent)

New Curriculum – In Their Own Words Parents play an important role in their children’s learning. Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents are involved in their education. By becoming familiar with the curriculum, parents can better appreciate what is being taught in each grade and what their children are expected to learn. This awareness will enhance parents’ ability to discuss their children’s work with them, to communicate with teachers, and to ask relevant questions about their children’s progress. Knowledge of the expectations will also help parents understand how their children are progressing in school and enhance their ability to work with teachers to improve their children’s learning.

New Curriculum – In Their Own Words Parents are the primary educators of their children with respect to learning about values, appropriate behaviour, and ethnocultural, spiritual, and personal beliefs and traditions, and they are their children’s first role models. It is therefore important for schools and parents to work together to ensure that home and school provide a mutually supportive framework for young people’s education. (p. 13).

Design of the Curriculum Three Strands: Active Living, Moving Competence, Healthy Living Under Healthy Living: “Human Development and Sexual Health”

The Primary Grades (1-3)  “…children’s early learning experiences have a profound effect on their later development.” (p. 79)  “…their [children’s] sense of self is still developing.” (p. 80)

Primary Grades (1-3) Grade 1: C1.3 identify body parts, including genitalia (e.g., penis, testicles, vagina, vulva), using correct terminology Teacher prompt: “We talk about all body parts with respect. Why is it important to know about your own body, and use correct names for the parts of your body?” Student: “All parts of my body are a part of me, and I need to know how to take care of and talk about my own body. If I’m hurt or need help, and I know the right words, other people will know what I’m talking about.”

Key Questions  How will this be introduced (context, making connections, scaffolding)?  What resources will be used (pictures, drawings, videos)?  How will the teacher check for understanding (point to, label, show me…)?  How will questions and stories be managed?

Primary Grades (1-3)  Grade 2: Stages of development and consent  Grade 3: Visible and invisible differences (including gender identity and sexual orientation) and respect

Language Used  homophobia. A disparaging or hostile attitude or a negative bias, which may be overt or unspoken and which may exist at an individual and/or a systemic level, towards people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT).

Junior Grades (4-6)  “To help them develop their own rules and value systems, they also need to be exposed to models of fair decision making and be given many opportunities to think about and solve their own problems.” (p. 126)

Junior Grades (4-6)  Grade 4: Puberty – physical changes  Grade 5: Reproductive system, menstruation, spermatogenesis, “sexting”  Grade 6: Development of self concept, decision making in relationships, responding to stereotypes and assumptions

Grade 6 Prompt Teacher prompt: “Things like wet dreams or vaginal lubrication are normal and happen as a result of physical changes with puberty. Exploring one’s body by touching or masturbating is something that many people do and find pleasurable. It is common and is not harmful and is one way of learning about your body.”

Intermediate Grades (7-8)  “No longer children but not yet adults, adolescents are beginning to face life decisions that may have major consequences for them as well as others.” (p. 179)  “Students in the intermediate grades are in the process of forming their adult identities and consolidating their moral beliefs and values. They are very much influenced by the world around them, and especially by their peers, who are a major source of motivation.”

Intermediate Grades (7-8)  “The human development and sexual health expectations recognize that students at this age are developing their sense of personal identity, which includes their sexual identity. Students may already be involved in or contemplating sexual activity or dealing with relationship issues that affect their self-concept and sense of well- being. Consequently, there is an emphasis on developing the skills needed for maintaining healthy relationships and acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions about their sexual health. Key topics include delaying sexual activity, preventing pregnancy and disease, understanding how gender identity and sexual orientation affect overall identity and self-concept, and making decisions about sexual health and intimacy.” (p. 182)

Intermediate Grades (7-8)  Grade 7: Delaying sexual activity (all types), STI’s, pregnancy prevention, sexual health and decision making, relationship changes at puberty  Grade 8: Decisions about sexual activity, gender identity and sexual orientation, contraception, relationships and intimacy

Intermediate Grades (7-8)  Grade 8: “demonstrate an understanding of gender identity (e.g., male, female, two- spirited, transgender, transsexual, intersex), gender expression, and sexual orientation (e.g., heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual), and identify factors that can help individuals of all identities and orientations develop a positive self- concept” (p. 216)

Intermediate Grades (7-8) A person’s self-concept can be harmed if a person is questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation and does not have support in dealing with their feelings of uncertainty. What kind of support do people need to help them understand and accept their gender identity and sexual orientation?” Student: “Having role models that you can relate to – for example, people of similar ages or cultures – is important. So is having all gender identities and sexual orientations portrayed positively in the media, in literature, and in materials we use at school. (p. 216).

Intermediate Grades (7-8)  “demonstrate an understanding of aspects of sexual health and safety, including contraception and condom use for pregnancy and STI prevention, the concept of consent, and matters they need to consider and skills they need to use in order to make safe and healthy decisions about sexual activity (e.g., self-knowledge; abstinence; delaying first intercourse; establishing, discussing, and respecting boundaries; showing respect; need for additional information and support; safer sex and pleasure; communication, assertiveness, and refusal skills)” (p. 218)

Intermediate Grades (7-8) “analyse the attractions and benefits associated with being in a relationship (e.g., support, understanding, camaraderie, pleasure), as well as the benefits, risks, and drawbacks, for themselves and others, of relationships involving different degrees of sexual intimacy (e.g., hurt when relationships end or trust is broken; in more sexually intimate relationships, risk of STIs and related risk to future fertility, unintended pregnancy, sexual harassment and exploitation; potential for dating violence)”

Con’t Teacher prompt: “There are pros and cons to being in a relationship, and when you are in a relationship, there are positive things and drawbacks associated with different levels of intimacy. All of them are important to think about. There is a range of intimate behaviours that people can use to show caring and connection in a relationship, and different levels of risk associated with different levels of intimacy. Intimate behaviours can include holding hands, hugging, kissing, touching bodies and genitals, and engaging in sexual intercourse. When considering the level of intimacy that is appropriate for their relationship, what does a couple need to think about?” (p. 220)

Senior Grades (9-12) Grade 9: Preventing pregnancy and STI’s, factors affecting gender identity and sexual orientation, relationship skills and strategies, thinking ahead about sexual health, consent, and limits

Grade 9  “demonstrate an understanding of factors (e.g., acceptance, stigma, culture, religion, media, stereotypes, homophobia, self- image, self-awareness) that can influence a person’s understanding of their gender identity (e.g., male, female, two-spirited, transgender, transsexual, intersex) and sexual orientation (e.g., heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual), and identify sources of support for all students” (p. 104)

Senior Grades (9-12)  Grade 10: Healthy sexuality, misconceptions about sexuality, and relationships “describe some common misconceptions about sexuality in our culture, and explain how these may cause harm to people and how they can be responded to critically and fairly” (p. 126)

Senior Grades (9-12)  Grade 11: Reproductive and Sexual Health  Grade 12: Skills and strategies for evolving relationships, bias and stereotyping in media portrayals of relationships

The Question of Consent  Doesn’t deal just with sexual consent  How to communicate consent, or lack of consent, in a variety of situations  Grade 4 and up – relationship and sexual – requiring consent for all activities, consent must be ongoing, how to check for consent  Issue – discussing with children activities that are designed for adults

Final Thoughts  Speak with knowledge and understanding  Speak to the curriculum, not an individual  Be prepared and proactive  Focus on values