Queen's Park, July 18, 2018 - "My question is to the Minister of Education.
Speaker, this week Ontarians have seen chaos and confusion coming from this government about sex education. First, they announced the repeal of the modernized curriculum, dragging Ontario backwards to 1998 and putting the health and safety of young people at risk. They pretend that there is a 2014 curriculum when there are only 1998 or 2015.
They claim there will be ample space to address critical social issues, and that teachers will have flexibility to raise these topics.
Speaker, school boards, teachers and parents need to know exactly what students will be learning in September. It shouldn’t rely on individual teachers.
Can the minister explain how gender identity, LGBTQ families, consent and cyberbullying will be taught in our schools when the 1998 curriculum is silent on these issues?
Again to the minister: It may be news to this government, but this province has already had one of the most comprehensive education consultations in our history. It took place over a period of almost 10 years and resulted in the modernized 2015 health and physical education curriculum. The Minister of Education knows that; three years ago she publicly stated: “The Minister of Education has done a lot of consulting around this.... We do need an upgrade to the curriculum.”
Why is this minister catering to a small group of radical social conservatives like Charles McVety, who wants to hold town halls in every riding in Ontario, instead of doing her job and keeping the modernized, updated curriculum in place?"