The head of a union representing Ontario elementary school teachers is expected to respond to the provincial government’s decision to repeal the sex-ed curriculum today, just weeks before students return to the classroom.
Last month, Premier Doug Ford announced that his government would repeal the sex-ed curriculum that has been in place since 2015, effectively reverting to the previous curriculum that was first introduced in 1998.
In announcing the move, Ford promised that a new curriculum would eventually be introduced following extensive consultations with the public, though that curriculum will not be in place for this school year.
Instead, the previous curriculum will be taught. That curriculum does not include warnings about online bullying and sexting that were included in the update curriculum or lessons around same-sex marriage and gender identity.
Today, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario President Sam Hammond is expected to use his opening remarks at his union’s annual meeting to provide “Federation guidance to its members with regard to the current curriculum,” according to a press release.
The remarks, which are scheduled for 4 p.m., come just days after a group of parents announced that they would file a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario over the replacement of the curriculum, a decision that they said is an example of discrimination against LGBTQ students.
More than two dozen school boards across Ontario have previously expressed concerns about the government's plan and some have said that teachers will continue to discuss some of the issues included in the modernized curriculum.
With files from The Canadian Press
