Sudbury

Teachers union head in Sudbury is hopping mad at Ford government on latest sex-ed announcement

The head of the union representing Rainbow elementary teachers in Sudbury is expressing concern about Premier Doug Ford's latest move.

The Ford government announced teachers must teach a revised interim curriculum or they will be punished

(Radio-Canada)

The head of the union representing Rainbow elementary teachers in Sudbury is expressing concern about Premier Doug Ford's latest move.

Barb Blasutti says she can't believe the Ford government has set up a website enabling parents to anonymously report teachers who aren't following the rules.

This week, the Ford government announced teachers must use an interim sex-education curriculum.

It's to replace a version of the curriculum put in place by the Liberal government in 2015.

Barb Blasutti says teachers work hard to keep the lines of communication open with parents, and would prefer if they would approach them directly if they have concerns, instead of reporting issues anonymously.

"Having this ministry of education snitch line, it just bypasses all of those working systems that are already in place at the school level. And it's going to prohibit parents and educators from addressing concerns in a constructive manner."

Barb Blasutti is the representative of the Elementary Teacher's Federation of Ontario for the Rainbow District School Board. (Hilary Duff/CBC)

Blasutti says she's dumbfounded that teachers could be punished for teaching a repealed sex-education curriculum.

"When he and his minister reference the curriculum of 2014, that's a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of Ontario. The curriculum that we taught in 2014 was the curriculum that was created in 1998 and people have to be aware of that."

There are many more important issues Ford could be focusing on in education instead of sex-eduction says Blasutti, including funding and violence in schools.