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To: Caroline Mulroney, MPP for York-Simcoe; Jim Wilson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey; Andrea Khanjin, MPP for Barrie-Innisfil; Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte; and Jill Dunlop MPP for Simcoe North.
We are writing to you today to express our disappointment in the decision by the Government of Ontario to repeal the Health and Physical Education Curriculum (2015), commonly referred to as the “Sex Ed” Curriculum, effective September 2018.
The curriculum, which replaced the one from 1998, was introduced following consultation from thousands of parents, educators, youth, and community stakeholders. The 2015 Curriculum includes important updates, including teaching about consent, how to keep yourself safe in an internet age, and understanding diverse bodies and relationships. The Curriculum is an important step forward for LGBTQ2+ youth especially, because it finally affirms the concept of diverse sexualities, gender identities, and gender expressions.
Acknowledging diverse families and experiences, while also preparing youth with facts, is essential to building strong and accepting communities. A consent-based, internet-conscious, LGBTQ2-affirming curriculum is what the youth of Ontario have come to expect, and they deserve no less.
The Curriculum does more than just improve our communities: it also saves lives. The universal nature of this curriculum ensures that all children have access to important information that they might not otherwise receive at home. This information prepares them for the world of today.
For these reasons, we are strongly urging you to defend the Curriculum, defend the LGBTQ community, and defend the youth of Simcoe County and Ontario.
We encourage you to follow the lead of Garfield Dunlop, a long-time MPP and champion for education, in supporting this curriculum.
Finally, we hope you will continue to engage with us on issues important to the community and look forward to you joining us at Pride this summer.
Kindly,
Brandon Rhéal Amyot
President
Fierté Simcoe Pride
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