Controversial Third Party Sexual Education Presentation Sparks Parental Involvement
In June 2022, a controversial sex education presentation at a high school in Saskatchewan led to the suspension of Planned Parenthood from schools and sparked a heated debate about parental involvement in sexual health education.
Key Events
June 2023: Planned Parenthood presents a sexual education session to Grade 9 students at Lumsden High School, Saskatchewan.
During the session, a student accesses graphic sexual content from a set of cards titled "Sex: From A-Z," which was not part of the approved presentation.
June 22, 2023: Saskatchewan Education Minister Dustin Duncan suspends Planned Parenthood and all third-party organizations from delivering sexual education in schools.
The Saskatchewan government introduces new policies requiring parental consent for students under 16 to change their preferred names or pronouns in school.
A by-election in Lumsden-Morse sees the Saskatchewan United Party gain significant support, surpassing the NDP.
Stakeholders
Saskatchewan government
Planned Parenthood Regina
Students and parents of Lumsden High School
Saskatchewan United Party
New Democratic Party (NDP)
University of Regina's UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity
Controversies
Content of Sexual Education: The incident raised questions about the appropriateness of sexual education materials and who should determine their content.
Third-Party Involvement: The suspension of all third-party organizations from delivering sexual education in schools has sparked debate about the role of external experts in education.
Parental Rights vs. Student Privacy: The new policy requiring parental consent for name and pronoun changes has led to discussions about balancing parental involvement with students' rights to privacy and self-expression.
Legal Challenge: The University of Regina's UR Pride Centre has challenged the parental consent policy in court, arguing it violates children's rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Political Impact: The controversy has influenced local politics, as evidenced by the Lumsden-Morse by-election results.
Broader Context
The incident in Saskatchewan has had ripple effects beyond the province. In New Brunswick, a similar incident led to the implementation of comparable policies, indicating a potential trend in how Canadian provinces are approaching sexual education and gender identity issues in schools.
News and Noteworthy:
Third-party sex-ed organizations barred from Saskatchewan schools | Regina Leader Post
Education Minister Announces New Parental Inclusion and Consent Policies | Saskatchewan Government
Education Minister Announces New Parental Inclusion and Consent Policies | Saskatchewan Government
University of Regina Pride Centre threatens legal action over Sask. pronoun policy | CTV News
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development | Government of New Brunswick
Resources to Support Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in Canada | SIECCAN
Education minister suspends Planned Parenthood from presenting in schools | Regina Leader Post
UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity v. Government of Saskatchewan et al. | Egale
Education and Early Childhood Development | Government of New Brunswick
Sexual Health Resources for Teachers and PHNs | Interior Health
Sask. government introduces parental consent for sexual health education | Global News
UR Pride takes legal action against Sask. pronoun consent policy | Regina Leader Post
New Brunswick premier bans sex ed group from schools over ‘inappropriate’ presentation | Global News
Sask. education minister calls for review into ministry sexual education materials | CBC News
