HALIFAX – Calls are being made to overhaul Nova Scotia’s sex education program in the wake of Rehtaeh Parson’s death, with one professor saying the current curriculum is insufficient.
Alan Brown researches gender studies at Mount Saint Vincent near Halifax. He says that kids already have the knowledge of how to be sexual; he believes students need to be taught how to be sexual in a healthy way.
“We’re concerned with protecting our kids from sexually transmitted infections and about when they’re intimate,” he said. “One of the things we don’t have a conversation about is consent.”
Brown says the current curriculum doesn’t delve enough into what constitutes healthy relationships.
“That’s what was missing. That’s where Rehtaeh was failed, by our notions of masculinity.”
One women’s group agrees that sex education in the province needs to be revamped.
“Consent obviously isn’t taught very much or very well right now,” said Ann Harvey with the Dalhousie Women’s Centre.
She says the curriculum needs to give more attention to sexual assault.
“There’s not a lot of resources of sexual assault, especially for younger people. There are some for university students but high school and middle school, not as much.”
- ‘She gets to be 10’: Ontario child’s heart donated to girl the same age
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
- Buzz kill? Gen Z less interested in coffee than older Canadians, survey shows
- Shoppers faces proposed class action over claims company is ‘abusive’ to pharmacists
According to one organization that works with youth, sex education is a critical topic.
“Considering how at that age developmentally, they’re very social. Social tendencies are huge,” said Stewart Zuan, program coordinator at Family SOS. “They’re coming out of their shells and making friends and starting to engage in those romantic relationships.”
However, the province’s education minister doesn’t think there’s a problem with the current program, noting there have been updates through the years.
“We do have a curriculum that covers these issues,” said Ramona Jennex. “A lot of people in the general public wouldn’t recognize the changes that have been made but as always, we’re always working forward in our curriculum. We’re always improving it and we’re always adding to it to be responsive to the needs of our students.”
Jennex notes that the ministry will be taking another look at the sex education program in light of Parson’s death.
Comments