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Home My WebLink AboutPlan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations - Ottawa Citizen - 12/14/2017 - Ottawa Citizen - 12/14/201712/15/2017 Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations I Ottawa Citizen Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations Laurie Betito: "You don't have to have sex to be cool, but you have to be able to take responsibility for your actions — and there are consequences for being sexually active. By talking about values and talking about acceptance and a wide range of issues, including consent and avoiding sexual harassment, really, we are talking about healthy relationships. How could any parent be against that?" InSUSAN SCHWARTZ, MONTREAL GAZETTE IPulbllii hed orc IDec imbeir;14, 20;x'7 11 (Last Updated: IDeceimlbeir;14, 20'.1'7'7,,;1 IIDIM E T http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n ews/pla n -for -sex -ed -in -q uebec-schools-gets-thumbs-u p-with-some-reservations/wcm/b22b8486-3368-4865-99ec-... 1/6 12/15/2017 Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations I Ottawa Citizen m,,,,x-ed ;sill [01 r��;L-mwl.01 r'I"d loo f101r"I III, POSTMEDIA NEWS/ MICH.AELJUNG A plan to make sexual education mandatory in Quebec's primary and secondary schools as of next September is a good one, says the president of the Sexual Health Network of Quebec. htt shn .ca "I am thrilled about the compulsory component and also that it is a comprehensive program," Laurie Betito (http://www.drlaurie.com/) said. "Kudos to them for doing that." But she says the subject needs to be taught as a separate class and not incorporated into their current classes, which Education Minister Sebastien Proulx said Thursday it would be. Students will be given age- appropriate information on sexuality — with anatomy, body image, sexual assault, sexual relations and sexually transmitted diseases among topics http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n ews/pla n -for -sex -ed -in -q uebec-schools-gets-thumbs-u p-with-some-reservations/wcm/b22b8486-3368-4865-99ec-... 2/6 12/15/2017 Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations I Ottawa Citizen to be raised. On Wednesday (http://montrealgazette.com/news/local- news/sex-ed-will-be-compulsoryv in-quebec-schools-as-of-september-couiIIard) , Premier Philippe Couillard told the Canadian Press that the information would be integrated into regular subjects – such as French and math. A pilot project in sex ed has been been in place in a handful of Quebec schools since 2015. An Education ministry website (http://www.education.2ouv.gc.ca/en/Contenus-communs/school- administrators-public-and-private-schools/sexuality-education/essential- learning/pilot-schools/) cites research showing that integrating sex education into a school's overall planning is more effective than confining it to a single subject and that countries using such an approach are among those with the lowest rates of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. Betito, a clinical psychologist with a specialty in sexual health, thinks the subject should be taught in a separate, dedicated class. "I don't think it's fair to add more to the teacher's curriculum," she said. "I think they should make space for it, the way they do for physical education — or maybe incorporate it into gym:' Some teachers and unions have criticized the plan, saying it puts pressure on educators who aren't properly trained. Betito said whoever teaches the course should be willing to do it, should have special training and should be able to engage students in discussion as part of the class. Betito has long been involved in doing training for sex educators and says it involves many steps, including examining one's own attitudes and biases in addition to learning the material. Someone who is highly conservative in her private life, for instance, is likely to have a hard time not letting her beliefs influence her responses to a student who asks about abortion, for instance. Ideally, she said, people teaching sex ed should be from outside the school because students might be unwilling or embarrassed to ask questions about sex or sexual health of a teacher they know. "A school should be assigned a sex educator, the way they assign school psychologists;" Betito said. A school guidance counsellor is another http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n ews/pla n-for-sex-ed-in-quebec-schools-gets-thumbs-u p-with-some-reservations/wcm/b22b8486-3368-4865-99ec-... 3/6 12/15/2017 Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations I Ottawa Citizen option, she said. "It has to be a dedicated person" The Federation des comites de parents du Quebec (http://www.fcp!q.qc.ca), representing parents' committees in public schools, said Thursday that it is in favour of mandatory sexual education. Some parents, however, have expressed reservations. Strong emotional reactions are sometimes based on misperceptions, Betito said. There are people who think, incorrectly, that by teaching sexual health and education, "that we are teaching them how to have sex. It's so notwhat is happening." "Studies show that when you teach kids about sex that they are more likely to use protection and to delay sex;" Betito said. And young people who do not have sexual education are more likely to seek experience by experimenting, she said. The program should also include a component about abstinence, Betito said. "You don't have to have sex to be cool, but you have to be able to take responsibility for your actions — and there are consequences for being sexually active. By talking about values and talking about acceptance and a wide range of issues, including consent and avoiding sexual harassment, really, we are talking about healthy relationships. How could any parent be against that?" sschwartz@postmedia.com (mailto:sschwartz@postmedia.com) Twitter.Com/susanschwartz (https://twitter.com/susanschwartz) SOCIAL ISSUES (HTTP://OTTAWACITIZEN.COM/TAG/SOCIAL-ISSUES) TRENDING STORIES 0 Police seek poten teen's killing in Va Major crime detectives are asking the http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-n ews/pla n -for -sex -ed -in -q uebec-schools-gets-thumbs-u p-with-some-reservations/wcm/b22b8486-3368-4865-99ec-... 4/6 12/15/2017 • Plan for sex ed in Quebec schools gets thumbs up, with some reservations I Ottawa Citizen public to help... Pa HOVER FOR FLYER Comments (Read IMoire < Previous HOVER FOR FLYER HOVER FOR FLYER STAPLES We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. 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