by Peter Jon Mitchell. November 19, 2014.
The relevence of parents in sex education
In 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Education put a revised Physical Education Curriculum for grades one to eight on hold. Some parents objected to elements of the curriculum, including the age appropriateness of the introduction of various sexual themes. The Ministry of Education has announced it will reintroduce the curriculum in September 2015.
The Institute for Marriage and Family Canada report, Making sex education work: Tips for Ontario and other provinces revising their curricula – and tips for parents, recounts the concerns parents expressed in 2010 and critiques some of the common claims made about sexuality education. The report examines the nature of teen sexual behaviour and provides recommendations for the province, schools and parents in navigating this often controversial topic. In final assessment, the evidence shows that parents are competent and effective in their role as their child’s primary sexuality educator. All sexuality education should emphasize the power of parents in teaching their children about sexuality, in partnership with educators.
To download the full report go to: www.imfcanada.org
Source: Institute for Marriage and Family Canada