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

1. June 2023: Planned Parenthood presents a sexual education session to Grade 9 students at Lumsden High School, Saskatchewan.

2. 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.

3. June 22, 2023: Saskatchewan Education Minister Dustin Duncan suspends Planned Parenthood and all third-party organizations from delivering sexual education in schools.

4. The Saskatchewan government introduces new policies requiring parental consent for students under 16 to change their preferred names or pronouns in school.

5. 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

1. Content of Sexual Education: The incident raised questions about the appropriateness of sexual education materials and who should determine their content.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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:

1. Third-party sex-ed organizations barred from Saskatchewan schools | Regina Leader Post

2. Education Minister Announces New Parental Inclusion and Consent Policies | Saskatchewan Government

3. Education Minister Announces New Parental Inclusion and Consent Policies | Saskatchewan Government

4. University of Regina Pride Centre threatens legal action over Sask. pronoun policy | CTV News

5. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development | Government of New Brunswick

6. Resources to Support Comprehensive Sexual Health Education in Canada | SIECCAN

7. Education minister suspends Planned Parenthood from presenting in schools | Regina Leader Post

8. Gender and Sexual Diversity | Saskatchewan Government

9. UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity v. Government of Saskatchewan et al. | Egale

10. Education and Early Childhood Development | Government of New Brunswick

11. Sexual Health Resources for Teachers and PHNs | Interior Health

12. FIRST READING: Saskatchewan suspends Planned Parenthood over 'inappropriate' sexual handouts to children | National Post

13. Sask. government introduces parental consent for sexual health education | Global News

14. UR Pride takes legal action against Sask. pronoun consent policy | Regina Leader Post

15. New Brunswick premier bans sex ed group from schools over ‘inappropriate’ presentation | Global News

16. Beyond the Basics | Action for Sexual Health and Rights

17. Sask. education minister calls for review into ministry sexual education materials | CBC News

18. Sask. government's decision to limit sexual health education leaves students unprepared: educators | CBC News

19. Keeping parents informed about their own children denounced as “cruel and unusual treatment” | Justice Centre

20. As New Brunswick changes its LGBTQ policy in schools, advocates worry it's just the beginning | CBC News

Let your voice be heard.

Email Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education today.