By Glen Turner – Special to the Sydenham Current
I’ve been seeing a lot of signs around these days – and not just election signs.
One that caught my eye, several times, was simply entitled ‘Let Kids Be Kids.’
‘Great,’ I thought to myself. ‘Good idea yet again. They have to be talking about a kid’s need (and right) to just play, have fun… be a kid!’ I mean, there’s been a lot of press about the parents who ‘over-structure’ their children’s lives, giving them no time to just… well, be kids!
Seems I was wrong, yet again.
Those signs seem to be some kind of a statement about the new ‘sex-ed’ curriculum here in Ontario.
And, as seems to be usual, it’s a campaign based on fear, misinformation and, in my opinion, a lack of understanding.
First, I’ll be willing to bet that most of the people with those signs have NOT read the actual Ministry of Ed. document, which, after a quick look, seems to be headed in a few good directions. For example, teaching kids at junior levels about sexual identity and diversity. You might not LIKE the diversity, but it’s here, it exists, it’s NOT going away; and the gay, lesbian and transgender community needs to have people, especially young people, try and understand and appreciate those differences, not condemn them for the differences.
Second, if parents were actually doing the job that they should be doing (instructing their kids about all aspects of growing up), schools wouldn’t even have to BOTHER with that kind of instruction. Parents would teach the facts of life at home, and school could focus on the other parts of learning. Like that’s going to happen right? No, the parents will complain about what’s offered, refuse to let their kids participate – fine, but what will that accomplish? Will THEY be the instructors at home?
Here are a couple of ideas.
1) Back in the day, some kids weren’t supposed to be there when the Lord’s Prayer was being said in class. No problem – those kids went into the hallway, or to a private area, and returned after. Schools might consider the same things for kids whose parents feel that way about sex-ed.
2) Schools should institute a long-range study, following the kids who were not allowed to participate – following them to see the rate of teen pregnancy, STD’s, violent or offensive behaviour towards the gay, lesbian and transgender community, and so on. Then compare the results with those stats from the other kids.
I’ll suggest that it would be a great way to see if the parents actually ARE doing the job of instructing their children, or is it just the usual fear of something different?
Thanks Glen, my sentiments entirely
SPOT ON GLEN!!
Glen, the Let Kids be Kids campaign is not based on fear, or misinformation. Children are not inanimate objects. They are spirit, soul (mind, will,emotions) and body, innocent for a few short years.
Children belong to parents not the province. Parents feed, clothe, love, instill values, play, and care for them in sickness and in health. It’s not a curriculum or teacher. In one year 1,142 hours are spent in school versus 7,618 at home.
I hope diversity includes the normal because that’s how you came to be. Often we’re called homophobic, when actually the gay community is heterophobic. As adults, choose your lifestyle, and we’ll do the same. It’s different for children.
Have you done your homework? Do you know about the flawed Parental Survey? Have you checked with Freedom of Information as to the results? How much money is allocated for ads to promote the sex-ed curriculum and what school programs are cut because of it? How many people were at the Mississauga meeting when a U.S. child psychologist spoke on the age inappropriateness of the curriculum? Do you know her name? Can you give me the number of names on a petition requesting a delay in it’s implementation?
I quit, soon my comments will be as long as your special to the Sydenham Current. Next time, check things out before writing
Anne
You presume that most of the people displaying lawn signs have not read the Ministry of Ed document and criticize them for it through public forum. Yet, you Mr. Turner, only after a, “quick look” have come to a determination? It seems to me that there could be a double standard here.
Mr. Turner ,
I would like you to know I have done a ton of research on the new sex-ed curriculum even though the main stream media would have you believe different. I do agree some people ” over structure” their kids lives, but no structure is just as or even more dangerous.
Math has structure and a definite answer; spelling has structure and rules to follow. Even drama class has to have some structure. This is not the case for the new sex ed curriculum that they are teaching. There is no structure, no rules, no consequences. It’s do what you want, how you want, and when you want. It’s changing words and bathroom spaces in the name of political correctness.
I have no problem with a gender neutral bathroom, I have one in my house. However, a multi-stalled gender neutral bathroom raises concerns. This is what upsets me as a parent. It’s not the teaching of sex, it’s not the teaching of homosexuality or trans-genderism.
What upsets me is the lying about choosing such lifestyles. By not telling the whole truth to the children about choosing these lifestyles, and not telling them about the repercussions of their actions, it’s the lying. Not the lying from a friend or school yard classmate but the lying from people that these kids put all their trust into…. Their teachers.
The schools want to teach science-based info on the one hand. But when shown the evidence of a male or female, science is pushed aside, and whatever you want to choose is your choice regardless of the evidence.
Mr Turner, parents are not protesting like in Toronto, but look at the public system. It is failing. Last year we went to the public system where they have already moved the sevens and eights to the high school due to low enrollment. Now they are amalgamating class rooms (Grade 1-6) due to low enrollment. The Catholic system is hiring teachers and adding classrooms due to high enrollment. Christian school enrollment is up and parents are home schooling. Parents will move their children, and do whatever they have to so that their children are taught according to their family values and not the state’s values. This way your schools won’t have to bother with this type of instruction.
Here are a few other things that cover your two ideas.
1. The teaching of the new Health and Physical Education program is going to be cross curricular and the minister of education said there will be no opting out. So standing in the hallway is not allowed and won’t work.
2. Maybe we can get the Government to do the study for their curriculum just like they did their survey to 4000 parents across the Province. Oh ya they lied that’s right they meant only 1600 took the survey not 4000. Even when parents answered questions in the survey about who should teach sex ed ( Answer : Parents) they ignored their survey findings.You want the public school to do their own survey? As normal the school system and the state will not be found at fault. They will blame the parents again and push for more and more control.
Parents are doing their job and will teach their children and any one working in the public system is fearing the drop in numbers.
Mr Turner, one more question, Have you ever thought of what will happen if we continue to teach children homosexuality is not to be questioned, Children are just a blob of tissue that can be disposed of and anyone who stands up for heterosexuality is wrong and needs reconditioning. Where will the numbers of children be then? Who will be the new working class? Who will be paying into CPP ? Not the homosexuals, not the people who are aborted. It will be the heterosexual people’s children. They can try to use all the politically correct techniques they want it won’t take that many generations to figure those stats out.
Phil