People in all 124 Ontario ridings will be consulted on sex ed, says Doug Ford
TORONTO — People across Ontario will be consulted before a new sex-education curriculum is drafted, Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday in an attempt to quell concerns over his government’s controversial decision to scrap the updated lesson plan.
The newly elected Progressive Conservatives were accused of flip-flopping on the issue Monday after the education minister said in the legislature that concepts like gender identity, consent and cyber safety would still be taught in the fall only to backtrack on her comments hours later.
Ford had pledged to repeal and replace the curriculum, which the Liberals updated in 2015, and his government said last week that when students return to class this fall they will be taught a version of the curriculum introduced in 1998, sparking anger from some teachers and parents who say that document is outdated.
“We’re going to hit 124 ridings,” he said, calling it “the largest consultation ever in Ontario’s history when it comes to education.”