Ontario touts controversial sex-ed curriculum in new ad

With elementary students heading back to school next week, the Ontario government has released a new ad promoting its controversial sex-education curriculum.

The 30-second ad called “Show of Hands” is being released in English and French and shows five young people of different ages and ethnic backgrounds dealing with scenarios in which they feel confused or uncomfortable.

In one instance, a girl contemplates whether to take a compromising selfie (or photo of herself), while in another case, a boy is visibly upset after receiving abusive messages on social media.

“Our kids have questions. The sex-ed and health curriculum can help,” the voice in the ad says as young people are shown raising their hands.

Education Minister Liz Sandals unveiled the new sex-ed curriculum in February – the first update since 1998 – which includes information about healthy relationships, consent and online safety. Despite opposition at the time, she insisted it would be in place for the start of classes.

Under the changes, Grade 1 students will learn the proper names for body parts, while Grade 3 students will be taught about same-sex relationships. Students in Grades 4 and up will learn more about the dangers of online bullying, while the perils of sexting will come in Grade 7.

Lessons about puberty will move from Grade 5 to Grade 4, while masturbation and “gender expression” are mentioned in the Grade 6 curriculum. By Grades 7 and 8, the curriculum includes contraception, anal and oral sex, preventing pregnancy and sexually-transmitted infections.

Ontario parents also have the right to withdraw their children from aspects of the curriculum that they find objectionable.


Read more
What students will learn grade by grade.
5 new things about Ontario’s sex-ed curriculum


Watch the English ad below or click here for a mobile-friendly version.

 

Watch the French ad below or click here for a mobile-friendly version.

 

“The Health and Physical Education curriculum was dangerously out of date, last updated in 1998, long before Facebook and Snapchat became part of everyday life,” Sandals said in a statement.

“Parents play an integral role in their child’s education, and we’re launching this campaign so that parents have factual information about what’s in the updated curriculum.”

The province has faced fierce criticism from parents across the province with some pulling their children from class in protest. Some religious groups also said the curriculum – which teaches students about gender identity, sexual orientation and masturbation – does not align with their values and is not appropriate for school-age children.

The Liberal government backed away from an attempted update of the sex-ed curriculum in 2010 after protests by some religious groups. However, this year, Sandals said Roman Catholic educators were consulted and must follow the curriculum in private schools as well as the public system.

With files from The Canadian Press

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