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Home My WebLink AboutOntario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers - Ottawa Citizen - 08/22/2018 - Ottawa Citizen - 08/22/20188/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers TAYLOR BLEWETT (HTTPS://OTTAWACITIZEN.COM/AUTHOR/TBLEWETTPOSTMEDIA) Updated: August 22, 2018 CHRISTOPHER KATSAROVI THE CANADIAN Following a major educational announcement by the Ontario government Tuesday, teachers in Ottawa and across the province will head back into classrooms this fall under a directive that they https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 1/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen teach a 20 -year-old version of the sex -ed curriculum — or else. Premier Doug Ford vowed to take action if teachers are found bucking the sex -ed curriculum rollback and has enlisted parents in the crackdown. The province's largest teachers' unions had previously vowed to defend educators who persist in teaching the more modern curriculum instituted by the former Liberal government in 2015 after the Tories vowed earlier this summer to scrap it. A government news release Wednesday said the province has set up a website where parents can report any teacher who is "jeopardizing their child's education by deliberately ignoring Ontario's curriculum." While broad consultations on education reforms will be launched in September, the government said, teachers should use a "revised interim curriculum" for the 2018-19 school year, which includes the 1998 version of the sex -ed curriculum, last used in 2014. "We will not tolerate anybody using our children as pawns for grandstanding and political games," Ford said in a news release. "Make no mistake, if we find somebody failing to do their job, we will act:' Joel Westheimer, education professor and university research chair at the University of Ottawa, strongly denounced the government's announcement and called on the Ontario College of Teachers and local school boards to push back. "It's one thing to say that `OK, we're not going to use that curriculum,' and it's another breathtaking step to say that we're going to actively participate in hunting down teachers who dare present students with any medically accurate facts that are not in that curriculum because a parent wants them to do that.," Westheimer said. The 2015 version of the curriculum included warnings about online bullying and sexting, but opponents, especially social conservatives, objected to parts addressing same-sex relationships, gender identity and masturbation. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 2/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen "I would hope that boards — individual school boards like the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, or the Ottawa Catholic (School) Board, or any of the boards here in Ottawa — I hope they find their own backbone and refuse to abide by the witch hunt of teachers who are trying to provide medically accurate information to students." The province could then threaten to cut off funding to these school boards, Westheimer noted. "If I was a director I would say, 'OK, we'll just have to close the schools then,' and see how Ottawa parents react to that." In a statement provided by spokesperson Sharlene Hunter, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board said it was still reviewing the information contained in the government's announcement and will "share direction" on curriculum issues with their principals and teachers. "We know that our teachers are committed to providing the best possible education for every student;" the statement read. Matthieu Vachon, superintendent of education for Conseil des ecoles publiques de I'Est de I'Ontario, the French -language public school board for Eastern Ontario, said the board "will attend the consultations on the invitation of the government, and speak in light of the values that are diversity, inclusiveness and wellbeing for student safety and the possibility for everyone to make their way towards building their own identity." In addition to a new health and physical education curriculum, "province - wide public consultations" set to kick off in September will ask "interested individuals and groups" to submit proposals regarding classroom cellphone bans, how to improve student performance in the STEM — science, technology engineering and mathematics — disciplines, and life skills teaching, among other subjects. The Ottawa Catholic School Board and Ottawa's French -language catholic school board could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. The province's new website, Fortheparents.ca, brings users to a webpage where they can choose two click -through options — express concerns about the curriculum "currently being taught" in their child's classroom, or submit feedback on another issue they want to address. The latter https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 3/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen option takes users to the Ontario College of Teachers' complaints process webpage. According to the curriculum feedback page, the reports generated from the site will shared with the Ontario College of Teachers on a monthly basis. Westheimer said he wouldn't be surprised to see it flooded in the coming days with parents defending teachers' right to share medically accurate sex -ed information with their children. "I hope there will be enormous pushback ... I would hope that Ontarians overall are smarter than this." Teachers' unions have already decried the parental reporting platform. Remi Sabourin, president of the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontarien, a teachers' union based in Ottawa, compared it to "surveillance." "I think we're pretty stunned by what we heard — especially regarding the snitch line and all that will go with that. Teachers ... are professionals, they understand their responsibilities." Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said the government's handling of the issue is creating "additional anxiety" for teachers as they prepare for the school year. "This is an absolutely unprecedented approach to policy or curriculum implementation within the education sector, where the release of a curriculum document is accompanied by an implicit or perhaps almost explicit threat of discipline if it's not followed," he said, adding the union will continue to advise members to exercise their professional judgment. The OSSTF's District 25 represents all unionized secondary school employees at the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. Bischof noted that teachers are not employed by the province but by school boards, and it's the boards that have the power to discipline educators, along with the Ontario College of Teachers. It appears the government is trying to co-opt the college into its process, he said. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 4/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen With files from The Canadian Press TRENDING STORIES Ottawa Senators rumours: Are Karlsson trade talks heating up again? While trade rumours had been swirling at the end of last season, talks quieted down during the dog days of summer. < Previous Next > This Week's Flyers https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 5/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers i Ottawa Citizen �NNNNN�iiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllllm� VVViiiiiNNNNNNNiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllll �iillllllllllllllllllll p�ppq; VVViiiiiNNNNNNNiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllll P �iririliiii1iiillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll VVViiiiiNNNNNNNiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllllll U II°Ilover for Ilf:lllyeur Comments Hover for Ilf:lllyeur II°Ilover for Ilf:lllyeur 1=>owered Ikry 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. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page (http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/story.html?id=7195492) for more information. 12 Comments Sort by Top Add a comment... Cathy McInnis What is wrong with teaching facts to children that are relavent in 2018? Teachers will be doing a disservice to students if they do not teach as per the 2015 curriculum. I ask parents to read the curriculum themselves and not to believe what had been paraphrased by those on the right with their heads buried in the sand. Knowledge is never something people should fear. Knowledge is power. Like • Reply • 8 • 9h J,,c,, I airlkeir r FACTS???? In 15 more years, kids won't even know our history, as it is being literally rewritten ( and erased) day by day in last 2 years. Teaching them about rainbows and unicorns, and emotions/feelings over fact and real life will weaken and crush them. Canada is fast beoming a joke and a doormat in he international community. These same kids will be paying other countries bills for the rest of their lives now, and forced to adapt to THEIR values and beliefs in our own land we welcomed them to '', x Not cool. Look what's happened to Germany and the UK, doomed by this failed expirement. Like • Reply • 8h • Edited f -,+k- RA. 1--i- https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 6/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers i Ottawa Citizen v0L11Y ma -111111a J.c. Barker and what do your comments have to do with teaching our children consent, safe internet practices and consent. Like • Reply • 5 • 8h Annie oatt You are absolutely right. I am a retired teacher after 30 years in the classroom and although I have been gone for 19 years now, I actually read this curriculum because of the controversy. It is very well crafted, age appropriate and addresses the issues of today. It's the word "sex" which makes some people's heads explode (Ford and his followers) because of their own fears and biases. In the US, trump keeps talking about a "witch hunt" and we all know he hasn't a clue what a "witch hunt" is. Come on up to Ontario, trump, and learn about witch hunts. Ford is presenting a very dangerous precedent. I trust the teachers, principals and the unions to handle this properly. AND .... for the most part trust the parents to be involved, learn about the curriculum and ask the pertinent questions of their schools. It would be nice to see a public backlash against Ford as well. Like • Reply • 4 • 52 Show 2 more replies iiirn this thread J.c„ IBarker About time! asking innocent kids to question their gender at age 6 was disgusting, hopefully all the "progressive" bias is also allowed to be reported/called out, as the overly Liberal/ socialist "teachers" have really pushed their PC culture straight down Canadian kids' throats with no voice of reason!!! We need some old fashioned sanity to return as we accomodate and bend over to everyone but our OWN. Like • Reply • 6 • 9h Cathy McInnis Read the curriculum. Don't post ignorant comments without facts. Like - Reply - 6 - 9h Tony Butler mm Why are there so many people who opposed the 2015 curriculum who never actually read the curriculum? Ford is lucky they don't read. His curriculum is so nambi pambi that teachers can actually teach the 2015 curriculum w/o getting into any real trouble. Like • Reply • 1 • 16m Syllviie IDaccaslhl Happy to hear this - I really hope we move to a child centered education system. The current one is not about what is best for our children. Like • Reply • 4 • 9 Cathy McInnis Again, read the curriculum before making uninformed comments. Like • Reply • 7 • 8h https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 7/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers i Ottawa Citizen Annie Moffatt Cathy McInnis - Honestly Cathy, I can't get over how many people make negative comments when they clearly have not read the curriculum. Where are they getting their misinformation? You know, I think if some of these people actually read it, they would be embarrassed. As they well should be. Like • Reply • 1 • 45m Tony Butler mm The new old curriculum is nambi pambi at best. Ford is lucky that those who opposed the 2015 curriculum never bothered reading it or the one Ford has imposed w/o consultation. If the evenagelical's read what Ford has issued they would be very displeased as it still allows teachers to talk in class about anything that a student wants to talk about or that is apporpirate to self identity or family differences. Like • Reply • 19 Richard Johnson Good, teachers don't decide the curriculum, the elected government does. People knew what this government was going to do with the curriculum and voted on it. Teachers that don't follow the law should be fired. Like • Reply • 3 • 8h Cathy McInnis Wrong. According to this article, teachers can be penalized for telling the truth. Like • Reply • 3 • 8h ini iii iie IMo-ffatt What law? Like • Reply • 2 • 43m Tony Butler mm There is no law concerning the new curriculum. Ford can't fire teachers who oppose suppressing science - he doesn't employ the teachers. Like • Reply • 1 • 22m Show 1 irnore ireply iin this thire d yllviie IBaccaslh You missed the point - it is not about facts. Everybody needs to be aware but... each child being an individual. Not everyone learns at the same pace or in the same way. Not against speaking the truth - just don't think a one size fits all is the best approach. Like • Reply • 8h 11 Cathy McInnis But that can be said about every subject https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 8/9 8/23/2018 Ontario announces education consultations, portal to submit concerns about teachers I Ottawa Citizen Like - Reply - 2 - 8h Annie Ioffatt Cathy McInnis - Absolutely! Even a teacher who has a straight grade (apologies to people who are triggered by the word "straight") instead of a split grade ALWAYS have the full gamut of abilities and learning styles. Like - Reply - 41 m Tony Butler mm The 2015 program made allowances for that in its design and framework. Not so much in the one Ford has issued. Like - Reply - 23m Loaf,',1 '7 car'ru,--,[ei,,o,,s Facebook Comments IPllugin " � A 1111 I" ), r" I ; "' ; "`� I') ` 0111 V V� V V v, S� T, t i f d'; i a � J e tv I P', �/10J/1U, , 0 j 1f)l"[ ()j, H 3 1 � 11 x1 f A , "I I fl[ 31 1 J, I 'I https:llottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-announces-education-consultations-portal-to-submit-concerns-about-teachers 9/9