Letters: ‘Let Kids Be Kids’ supporters respond

The following letters are in response to Glen Turner’s column, published Sept 22, 2015, entitled:
‘Let Kids Be Kids’ campaign based on fear, misinformation

Please, allow us to reintroduce ourselves

Five years ago I had the opportunity to introduce my favorite author to a gathering of approximately 1000 people.

I’ll admit that I was somewhat nervous.

Not only was the crowd quite large but one of my heroes happened to be sitting in the front row watching, listening and waiting for my introduction to commence his keynote address.

Unfortunately, my greatest fear had come upon me. I botched the introduction!

Have you ever had a similar slip up? Or perhaps you were on the receiving end of an introduction that either didn’t accurately represent you or the cause to which you were advocating.

Last week a group that I am a part of, www.letkidsbekids.info, were the recipients of what we would characterize as inaccurate representation.

On Tuesday, September 22nd, The Sydenham Current published an article entitled, “Let Kids Be Kids Campaign Based On Fear, Misinformation.”

The author, Mr. Glen Turner, makes reference to the hundreds of letkidsbekid.info yard signs that are proudly displayed on front lawns throughout Southwestern Ontario. Mr. Turner states that people who identify with letkidsbekids.info are fearful, misinformed and lack understanding. He further asserts in the Sydenham Current article that most letkidsbekids.info supporters have most likely ‘NOT’ (Mr. Turner’s emphasis added) read the Ministry of Ed document and subsequently blames parents for not teaching kids all aspects of growing up.

Please, allow us to re-introduce ourselves.

In October 2014, Premiere Kathleen Wynne announced plans to implement the graphic Sex Ed curriculum first proposed by the McGuinty Liberals in 2010. The curriculum was ‘shelved’ after only 3 days due to large-scale public outcry.

Upon Premiere Wynne’s 2014 announcement for the reintroduction of the Sex Ed curriculum there was again significant opposition.

In a very short time Ontarians were inundated with information from a plethora of sources.

Consequently, a handful of local citizens felt compelled over a dinner conversation to be proactive. The result was letkidsbekids.info. Let Kids Be Kids provides for the general public a resource for networking, information and disclosure including but not limited to articles, petitions, outcomes and the Ministry of Education document in question (the document no one reads).

Therefore, the Let Kids Be Kids campaign simply put, is about playing a small role in a large – scale effort to provide information for vigilant people looking to make personal, informed determinations and decisions.

For instance, it has recently been brought to light that Premiere Wynne’s commitment to consult parents was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. The government committed to compiling feedback based on the outcome of an online survey directed to one parent in every school throughout Ontario.

This totals 4000 – 5000 individuals – which is a very small representation in the first place. On September 5th, 2015 Freedom Of Information documents reveal that the extent of the Wynne Liberals parent consultation included input from only 1,638 parents, far less than the 4,000 – 5,000 they claimed would be providing feedback.

Moreover, of those 1638 surveyed out of three possible authority figures 87% agreed that parents were the most trustworthy to instruct children regarding sexual matters. Parents are followed closely by doctors and nurses with 83%. The last were teachers at a dismal 40%. What does that input suggest?

People, like Mr. Turner, are free to stand afar and formulate opinions based on ambiguities as well as individual points of reference but just as he states in his article that aspects of our culture aren’t going away.

In like manner, concerned, invested parents will work tirelessly for the best possible life for their kids and they’re not ever going away!

Jason Cartier, Wallaceburg

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 transgenderism.

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 Kraayenbrink, Wallaceburg

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 Stewart, Wallaceburg

The new Ontario ‘sex-ed’ curriculum is disturbing to many parents on the surface. Those who have delved deeper into it are even more disturbed, and rightfully so. Glen Turner’s criticism of Ontario parents leaves out a few things that need to be addressed. First of all, parents ARE the proper instructors for their children in sexual matters. The schools have a very poor record when it comes to instructing the basics of math, reading and writing. Now we’re supposed to let them teach our kids about sex? Having read through the pertinent parts of this curriculum, I am 100% opposed to its implementation at any level of schooling, because there is too much room to confuse, mislead, or outright indoctrinate children into believing something that simply is not true.

This curriculum had design input from a man, Ben Levin, charged with multiple counts of child pornography. That right there should be an automatic disqualifier, and in a sane society it would be. Sadly, we live in a province run by Liberals, who have absolutely no moral compunction whatsoever about teaching six-year olds about sex. But we, the parents, are the ones with the problem?

Furthermore, this curriculum is completely opposed to what is taught by the Catholic Church, yet Catholic schools are being forced to teach this to students as well. Condoms and artificial birth control, both antithetical to Catholic teaching, are promoted as being healthy and preventing STDs, both of which are false claims to push a specific social agenda.

Gender ‘identity’ and other such nonsense should not be pushed onto impressionable children. In fact, it is morally reprehensible that adults would even consider doing this. Children are not sexual creatures; they are children. They have enough to worry about growing up in today’s oversexed culture without being taught by official authority that they might not ‘really be’ a boy or girl on the inside. Nobody has the right to inflict this on our children; they are not property of the State.

As parents, we need to be informed of what is going on in our schools; there is no room for complacency and trusting the system; the system is broken, and does not serve the needs of our children or our community. There is too much opportunity in this program for teachers of a certain social and political view to inflict irreparable harm on our children, and it must not stand. Our society is based on the family, not the State, as the primary social construct. It is past time that we, as parents, remember that and stand up for our children. Because if we do not, who will?

Glen Sprigg, Wallaceburg

If anyone wishes to send a letter to the editor, please e-mail Aaron Hall at aaron@sydenhamcurrent.ca.