“Our Children, Our Choice”, read one of the signs at the Queen’s Park protest against the latest changes to the Ontario sex education curriculum. Concerned parents and anxious educators gathered on April 14th, 2015 to object the drastic amendments made by the Premier Kathleen Wynne, which includes the introduction of same-sex relationships, masturbation, and “sexting” to children as early as the first grade. As the poster-in-protest read, the major issue surrounding these recent disagreements is the fact that parents were not consulted regarding this theft of children’s innocence. 

Regardless of inappropriate contents of this new curriculum, I would like to shed a light on the concerned citizens of Ontario, who are worried that their children will be exposed to these matters at an early age. The idea is not to completely eliminate such education, but to move it up a few years, aligning it with the social and biological maturation of the children. This is a matter that the citizens of Ontario should have been consulted on prior to the decision. Reflecting on the province’s multicultural population, it is inconsiderate, not to mention disrespectful, to make such life altering changes to the morals, cultures and beliefs of those who bore, nurtured and raised the future generations of Canada. 

It is understandable that the government is working to prevent negative effects of sexual illiteracy; however, it should be noted that the age of sexual consent is related to adults, as should the ideas and topics surrounding it be. It is morally unjust that a child learns their multiplication tables alongside the dangers of “sexting”. Parents understand that children are subject to earlier insight into sexually related matters due to widespread technology and the Internet. This does not excuse the changes to the curriculum, as parents should not be stripped of the right to educate their children on sensitive matters, at their own pace, relating to their morals. 

Some have responded to these protests and objections as attempted homophobic attacks on the openly gay Wynne. Others claim that the conservative party is unsatisfied with actions taken by the liberal government. This however proves to be untrue, as age remains to be the major concern. According to Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun, his observations of the crowd at Queen’s Park revolve around concerned parents, whose opinions are stripped of homophobia and conservative mentalities. 

Taking away children’s innocence and altering the pace at which they mature is an inevitable side effect of the changes to the Ontario sex-ed curriculum. This view is reflected by a prominent number of citizens, and concerns continue to arise throughout the province, mostly circulating parents’ rights to voice their opinions and vote on matters concerning the apples of their eyes. Parenting exists for a reason; sex-ed is not academically related, but socially and culturally, and should be taught at schools in moderation, in the right grades, with the consent of parents. “Math not Masturbation. Science not Sex.”

Works Consulted

Baklinski, P. (2015, April 15). Ontario education minister: New sex ed curriculum teaches 6-year-olds about sexual abuse. Life Site News. Retrieved from

Lopez, J. (2015, April 14). Protesting parents ask Wynne to scrap new sex-ed curriculum. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from

Masson, S. (2015, March 31). Scott Masson: Why the critics of the Ontario sex-ed curriculum are right. National Post. Retrieved from

Warmington, J. (2015, April 14). Rally against sex-ed curriculum about the kids, not Politics. The Toronto Sun. Retrieved from