HomeMy WebLinkAboutDoug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex-ed and math curriculums if elected - Globe & Mail - 05/08/2018 - Globe & Mail - 05/08/20185/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
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Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math
curriculums if elected
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Ontario's Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford has promised radical changes
to the province's entire education system, from scrapping and replacing the sex -
education and math curriculums to policing free speech on university campuses.
https://www.thegIobeand mai1.com/canada/article-doug-ford-vows-to-overhau I-ontario-ed ucation-system-if-elected/ 1/8
5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
Mr. Ford said on Tuesday he has heard concerns from many families, and if he
becomes premier after the June 7 election, he would consult parents about a more
age-appropriate sex -ed curriculum, scrap the "discovery" math system and cut
funding to postsecondary institutions that don't allow controversial speakers. He
said he would also reform the tests conducted by the Education Quality and
Accountability Office (EQAO) and introduce improved standardized testing.
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Opinion: Horwath shines through Wynne, Ford hostilities in Ontario election
debate
Related: Ford, Wynne and Horwath square off in first Ontario election debate
"I want an education system that respects parents. I want schools that are focused
on teaching kids the skills that matter. That's reading, writing and math," Mr. Ford
said. "We're going to fix the education [system] in Ontario by getting back to the
basics, by respecting parents and by respecting free speech at universities."
Packaging a reform of sex -education with campus free speech will play well with
Conservative supporters, but could also appeal to other voters who have seen both
issues hit the headlines, said Karen Bird, a professor of political science at McMaster
University.
"Talking about EQAO testing and university free speech are really very distinctive
kind of issues and policy domains. Wrapping it all up as somehow Ontario's
education system has gone off the rails is interesting," said Dr. Bird, who served on a
committee on free expression at the university.
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5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
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realities children face today. But opponents, mainly faith groups, labelled it age -
inappropriate and argued that parents should provide such information.
The sex -ed component makes up about 10 per cent of the larger health and
physical -education curriculum and handles such topics as acceptance of same-sex
couples and online safety.
Tanya Granic Allen, who Mr. Ford recently removed as a candidate over
homophobic statements the Liberals brought to light, has been a strong opponent of
the sex -ed curriculum and tweeted on Tuesday that she is pleased the leader plans
to repeal it.
Education Minister Indira Naidoo-Harris said in an e-mail statement on Tuesday that
extensive consultation was done on the sex -ed curriculum. She said students are
learning about safety and healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.
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"At a time where more and more students are active online, we cannot afford to turn
back the clock when it comes to student safety and well-being," she said.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the health and physical -education curriculum had
needed to be upgraded, and her party supported the Liberals' changes. She said Mr.
Ford would be "dragging our province backwards" by repealing it.
George Kourtis, program co-ordinator for health and physical education at the
Toronto District School Board, said staff held community events in 2015 to explain
the updates.
"I would just encourage the community to read what' a H ri T
expectations, because it teaches students about respeCL d11U sd1Cl_y," iV11. PXU1 «�, saiu.
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5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
It is not clear if the Ford campaign consulted with universities or the Higher
Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), the government agency that it
would task with investigating free -speech violations.
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HEQCO is mandated to measure students' educational outcomes and institutions'
ability to deliver high-quality programs efficiently. A spokesperson for the Ford
campaign suggested it could expand to look at freedom of expression.
"We continue to do the work that's part of our legislated mandate," said Harvey
Weingarten, the CEO of HEQCO, who referred questions about how the agency
became involved to the Ford campaign.
Last year, federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said his party would withhold
federal research funds from universities that do not protect free speech. But Mr.
Scheer later added that schools should be allowed to ban extreme groups, such as
white nationalists.
As well as intervening on sex -ed and campus speech, Mr. Ford also said he would
change the math curriculum so that students would focus on basic arithmetic rather
than discovery, or creative, strategies.
Proponents say students maintain their interest in math by investigating ideas
through problem -solving, pattern discovery and open-ended exploration. But
opponents point to test scores, including in Ontario, where results have fallen or
stagnated. Half of Grade 6 students failed to meet provincial standards in math in
the 2016-17 school year.
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5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
The Liberal government injected $60 -million into the education system to add
math -specialist teachers to every school and provide additional training for staff. It
has also made 60 minutes of math instruction each day mandatory in elementary
school.
But some worry it is not nearly enough and some parents want a back -to -basics
approach to teaching that emphasizes repetition and drills.
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5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
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5/9/2018 Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
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5/9/2018
Doug Ford vows to overhaul Ontario sex -ed and math curriculums if elected - The Globe and Mail
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