The Near North District School Board says it wants consultation on the Health and Physical Education curriculum to begin immediately. That curriculum covers sexual education.
A letter from Chairperson David Thompson says the board is adding to the collective voice calling on the Ontario government to follow through on its promise. This comes in the wake of the government turning the clocks back 20 years by repealing the 2015 curriculum and reverting to the one that was in place in 1998.
In the letter, Thompson says many concerns have been raised about the decision. That’s because the 1998 curriculum doesn’t address a number of issues that children now face with how widespread things like the internet and mobile devices are.
Thompson says the board believes that the 2015 curriculum should be the starting point for consultation and should remain in place until that process is finished. The letter also says that school boards across the province are waiting for clarification from the Ministry of Education on what content will actually be taught to students come September after getting conflicting information.
In the meantime, the letter states the NNDSB is committed to “teaching that promotes inclusion and diversity, providing the necessary support for the safety and well-being of our LGBTQ+ community and all students and staff, and continuing to educate about gender issues, internet safety, healthy relationships, and informed consent.”
The letter is addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Education Lisa Thompson, Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli and Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller. It encourages anyone with concerns over the decision to repeal the 2015 Health and Physical Education curriculum to get in touch with their local Member of Provincial Parliament and/or the Minister of Education.