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https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-a-resource-provinces-lawyer-tells-court.html
In 2015, the Liberal government introduced a new curriculum with more material on trans issues. In 2018, Ontario's new premier Doug Ford, eliminated the new 2015 curriculum, and reverted the curriculum to one that had been introduced in the 1990s (and used until 2015).
The parties are now in court over the legality of this change in curriculum. I couldn't help but laugh that the one of the policy documents in the 2015 curriculum is actually titled: How to Become a Super Rad Gender Warrior Classroom teacher.
Initially, on repeal of the 2015 curriculum, Doug Ford stated that teachers who taught the new curriculum would be reprimanded. However, now Ontario's lawyers in court have said no, teachers have latitude to teach whatever they want, including any materials from the 2015 curriculum. Ontario's lawyers also note that no teacher has been reprimanded since the repeal.
The parties that challenged the repeal have now found themselves dumbstruck by Ontario's position:
There is an ongoing court battle in Ontario over the elementary school physical health/sex-ed curriculum.Green told the court that teachers can use their professional judgment in selecting from a variety of resources and background material, including the 2015 curriculum and documents such as “How to Become a Super Rad Gender Warrior Classroom teacher.” He said there’s no prohibition on using certain words or addressing certain topics, such as consent, transgender and homophobia.
In 2015, the Liberal government introduced a new curriculum with more material on trans issues. In 2018, Ontario's new premier Doug Ford, eliminated the new 2015 curriculum, and reverted the curriculum to one that had been introduced in the 1990s (and used until 2015).
The parties are now in court over the legality of this change in curriculum. I couldn't help but laugh that the one of the policy documents in the 2015 curriculum is actually titled: How to Become a Super Rad Gender Warrior Classroom teacher.
Initially, on repeal of the 2015 curriculum, Doug Ford stated that teachers who taught the new curriculum would be reprimanded. However, now Ontario's lawyers in court have said no, teachers have latitude to teach whatever they want, including any materials from the 2015 curriculum. Ontario's lawyers also note that no teacher has been reprimanded since the repeal.
The parties that challenged the repeal have now found themselves dumbstruck by Ontario's position:
Sam Hammond, ETFO president, told reporters outside court that he was “absolutely surprised” by the province’s arguments.
“It’s the first time since this whole debate began that the government, or a representative of the government, said ‘Yes, teachers may use the 2015 curriculum as a resource in implementing the current curriculum,’ ” Hammond said.
If the premier, and government, had made that clear at the outset, Hammond said, “We wouldn’t be here today.”