While it's not uncommon for teachers to go on strike, it's less common for parents to do so. Yet a group of Ontario parents with more than 5,000 Facebook members has planned to pull its kids from school for a week to protest the new sex ed curriculum.
Members of "Parents & Students on strike: one week no school" have written a letter notifying the Ministry of Education of its plans to boycott public schools across the province the week of 4 May.
The new curriculum, the letter claims, is "age-inappropriate" and does not align with the principles and beliefs of thousands of families.
"We believe that it is our responsibility to teach these values to our children and have the greatest authority over how and when such sensitive topic are being introduced to our children," reads the letter.
Already parents and conservative groups have protested at Queen's Park. The controversial curriculum, which includes mentions of sexting, same-sex marriage and masturbation, saw its first update in 17 years.
RELATED: What You Need to Know About the New Sex Ed Curriculum
Although parents do hold the option for their children to "opt out" of sex ed, this is not enough for some parents who - according to Liberal Education Minister Liz Sandals - are either misinformed about the curriculum content or simply hold "homophobic beliefs."
Withdrawing your kids from class seems counter-intuitive and misguided. The kids will incur absences on their records and be forced to catch up on school work. Why punish children to prove a point?
Regardless of what views parents personally hold, withholding sexual education can only do their kids a disservice. Ignorance is not the answer. Sexting and same-sex marriage exists and will continue to exist, whether you agree with the practice or not. Learning about something is not the same as endorsing it.
Teachers are actually doing us (and our kids) a favour here. They are broaching a hard conversation. Why not seize the opportunity to continue that conversation, as it relates to your own core beliefs, at home?
Specifics about what kids will learn by grade under the new curriculum can be found in this slideshow.
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