Protest against sex ed curriculum sparks small counter-protest

Dozens of people protested Ontario's new sex ed curriculum in Kitchener on Friday, May 8, 2015. (Dan Lauckner / CTV Kitchener)

Dozens of parents upset with Ontario’s new sex ed curriculum voiced their concerns Friday with a protest at Carl Zehr Square.

Holding signs bearing messages like “Don’t change our children” and “Just say no,” many of the gathered parents told CTV News they didn’t want their children taught about sexual concepts at young ages.

“It’s not appropriate, at that age, to know that much stuff about sex,” said Houda Kwkjy.

Other parents said they had kept their children home school entirely – not just health class – because they were concerned students taking the lessons would spread the information to those withdrawn.

“If one kid learns (about sexual topics) … all of them will learn,” said one mother.

“We don’t want that at all.”

Before long, the protesters were joined by a smaller group of counter-protesters stressing the importance of sexual education.

Tensions briefly mounted, with a shoe being thrown at one of the counter-protesters, but calmness quickly prevailed.

Other new sex education topics to be covered in Ontario health classes starting this fall include the following:

The curriculum also calls for students as young as Grade 1 to learn how to read facial expressions and understand consent.

Sara Casselman, operations manager of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, says consent is a “very complicated topic” that she’s glad to see introduced into schools.

“Both young people and adults often are confused about it,” she said.

“It’s not about encouraging sexual activity.”

Casselman says some of the most common questions her organization is asked include whether people can give consent when drunk, when underage or when dealing with someone in a position of authority.

“The answers to all of those questions are ‘no’, but a lot of Canadians don’t know that information,” she said.