Sex Ed Scrapped, Healthy Eating Saved, In New Ontario Curriculum
Posted August 9, 2010 7:52 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Elementary students in Ontario will see something old and something new when they head back to school this fall.
An expanded sexual education program has been scrapped but a focus on healthy eating will be included in the updated provincial curriculum. The dangers of cyber-bullying and drug abuse have also been added to existing lesson plans.
Earlier this year, the McGuinty government announced plans to teach sexual orientation in Grade 3 and masturbation in Grade 6.
That plan was protested by some parents and religious groups and will now be postponed and reworked. The current sex ed curriculum, which was last updated in 1998, will remain in place.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has promised wider public consultations in the wake of the controversy, but officials still haven’t said when they will begin.
Here’s what’s new:
Grade One
- healthy eating
Grade Three
- how local foods can expand the range of healthy eating
Grade Four
- dangers of smoking, including dangers of tar and carbon monoxide
- identify and prevent different types of bullying and abuse
Grade Five
- effects of alcohol
- how to read nutrition labels
Grade Seven
- cyber-stalking
- online gambling
Grade Eight
- how to analyze and prevent violent behaviour, including dating violence
With files from The Canadian Press
