Just recently, the Liberal Party government passed a new motion. On Monday, February 23, 2014, the decision for the sexual education in Ontario to be updated to incorporate a broader and improved knowledge of subjects not initially included for younger ages, has formally been made. Basically, third and fourth graders will finally understand that there is no such thing as the “bird and the bees” or that the “stork” does not actually deliver their mommy and daddy the baby. There is a lot of controversy behind this new advancement in Ontario’s sexual education curriculum, but personally, I find it to be a good thing.

Yes, younger kids will be learning about things such as consent, same-sex marriage, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and this could bother some parents for they might not want their children to lose their youth and innocence so soon, but I know I would rather have my children learn about such subjects as rape, sexting, and how babies are made from their teachers than their friends and media. The new curriculum is much more consistent and accurate than your best friends tell you or shows on TV appear to depict. I know that this new curriculum will help better prepare children for the future.

I was able to find a couple of the things from the links below that will change in Ontario’s sexual curriculum:

  • The correct terms for body parts is taught in Grade 1
  • Puberty is discussed in Grade 4
  • Sexual transmitted infections (STIs) will be taught in Grades 7-8
  • Gender stereotypes, sexual orientation, and identity will be taught in Grade 9.

I encourage parents to read more from the links below (please click on any of them to open):

The Ontario Curriculum: Grade 1 – 8: Health and Physical Education
The Ontario Curriculum: Grade 9 – 12: Health and Physical Education

On the other hand, I can understand why some parents, well, actually a lot of parents are disturbed with the advancement in the Ontario sexual education curriculum. As I said before, parents want their children to have their innocence and youthfulness for as long as possible. Sometimes, when children learn something from school, they take it seriously and find it okay to talk about it elsewhere. For example, to my parent’s dismay, I often find myself taking my teachers’ advice more often than theirs, like how to do my speech or how I should approach a contest and so on. Some parents might find their children talking about sex around the house and even thinking it is okay.

Another reason I find that parents might not like the idea of an improved sexual education curriculum for younglings is the fact that they are embarrassed to talk to their own children about the “bird and bees”. It is a very awkward conversation you do not usually plan on doing when signing up for parenthood. All I know is, if it is the best way to teach my son and daughter what is right, I am all for either a new sex education curriculum or actually talking to them myself. Seesh, now I feel like a hypocrite for avoiding my mother when she asks me these questions. But I know she is doing it for the best so I’ll be more tolerable.

Starting in the upcoming September, Ontario classrooms will have the most updated sex education curriculum in Canada, definitely something to be thankful for. I know it will be a little uncomfortable… okay, very uncomfortable for many, but as I read somewhere in Our Daily Bread, God only does things to you he knows you can handle. I know children will be mature about the subject matter of sex and I know they are ready to accept the huge responsibility of knowledge at a young age.

The Premier Kathleen Wynee and her Liberal Party were not stupid when they made this a reality. She has made it age-appropriate and easy for kids to understand, something parents should want for their kids if they cannot explain our God-given gift themselves. Congratulations Ontario, we are going to be ahead of the pack in our sexual knowledge soon. And if there are still parents out there who still believe this new curriculum is bogus, why not just go ahead and help your child fail a class or two, grow up clueless or brainwashed by the media, and ending up a victim in a preventable sex-related dilemma.

I encourage parents to read the content of the new curriculum to better understand what is to come soon to their doorsteps, so that they can prepare themselves to answer the many questions that they would have wished they were not asked. Thank God, there is not going to be an election soon, otherwise the Liberals would have been shown the exit door I bet by the time we will go for an election, many parents would have understood and will appreciate the efforts the liberals put in bringing sex education curriculum change a reality.

Angelous Ginanena.