GTA parents want modernized sex-ed curriculum back, early numbers show
Many call the premier's move 'harmful' and 'out of date'
An overwhelming majority of people in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), who took part in consultations, want the modernized 2015 sex-ed curriculum reinstated, according to data obtained by CBC through a freedom of information request.
The data shows the responses the Ontario government received during the first day of public consultations on the ForTheParents.ca website.
Nearly 82 per cent of the respondents from the GTHA said that they were happy with the 2015 sex-ed curriculum, with many calling Premier Doug Ford's move to repeal it "harmful" and "out of date."
Many of the respondents identified themselves as parents, grandparents and teachers, from both public and Catholic school boards.
Several parents stated that they were concerned not discussing topics like consent "put their children in danger." Many others also said that removing topics such as gender identity and tolerance would increase bullying.
One parent from the Toronto District School Board said "there are families in our school with two moms, two dads . . . all kindergarten children need to get the message loud and clear that it's normal and OK."
Many call current revision a waste of money
Another parent from a Catholic school board wrote that the 1998 curriculum was introduced before the takeover of cell phones and the internet, and is "as useless to sex education in 2018 as fax machines are to businesses in 2018."
Several respondents expressed frustration about repealing a curriculum that involved so much public consultation, time and money.
The ForTheParents.ca website was launched in August after Ford promised to quash the sex-ed curriculum brought in by the previous Liberal government. He replaced it with the 1998 curriculum until a new one could be created.
Critics pointed out that the lesson plans from 1998 didn't address themes like gender identity, consent and cyber-safety.
Just days before the start of the school year, the government said it had drafted a lesson plan to address those criticisms. Experts said, however, that the lesson plan contains only passing mention of modern concepts such as the internet and cellphones, and largely reverts to the vague language and broad topic outlines used in the 1998 curriculum.
Only 12 respondents want the 1998 curriculum
When asked by The Canadian Press Tuesday about the results of the online consultation, Premier Doug Ford said they were skewed by "certain groups."
Education Minister Lisa Thompson was asked during question period on Wednesday to clarify what was meant by "certain groups" and what the government's reaction is to the initial data showing that Ontarians want the 2015 curriculum back.
Thompson responded by saying that the government heard from thousands of people during the last three months and is looking forward to going over the data.
CBC News received a total of 2,502 responses made during the first day the government site opened. Of those, 1,098 are from the GTHA. Nearly 900 were in support of bringing the 2015 curriculum back, while only 12 respondents said they were for the 1998 curriculum.
With files from The Canadian Press