Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council, Spring 2002 saw the completion of the first concrete "products" of the Hamilton-Wentworth Sexual Health Network, (the Network): four well-designed and colourful Parent Resource booklets for grades 5, 6, 7 and 8; as well as two "very cool" posters, appealing to teen boys and teen girls. The graphics and wording of the posters are the result of professional market-research, and staff working together with youth under "Network" guidelines. The Network was formed several years ago with objectives including the diminishing of "risk behaviours" in teens, and advancing the choice of abstinence as THE positive life-style choice for teens.
The posters are hot off the press at the present time, and are awaiting their official "launch" into the community at large. The booklets were distributed to schools within the Hamilton Public Board of Education this past April and May. They were to be used in conjunction with sex-ed curriculum topics, presented typically in the Spring of the year. Both products will appear at parent/teacher conferences in the fall of 2002, as display pieces accompanied by handout articles embossed with the motto, "I'm Worth The Wait."
Although the videos used cartoon-like animation, they violated Ministry of Education guidelines by showing explicit sexual intercourse before the Grade 7 level; presented value-less information about sexual activity; suggested that condoms prevent AIDS, when the failure rate of condoms for AIDS is 23%, and when condoms contain pores 50 times larger than the AIDS virus itself; and they introduced young children to the topics of alternative sexual lifestyles and masturbation at a most inappropriate age.
The videos projected the predominant philosophy of current sex-education in general: that of condom-based sex education. Indeed, the notion that "sex" has virtually become a recreational activity seemed to be apparent in the words of the video: that sex is simply "something you do with someone you care for" (paraphrased).
During these days, when teachers are uncomfortable with curriculum subject matter, public health staff could be invited to the classroom to present whatever materials they choose. Public Health has a Ministry mandate to assist schools, where needed, in the presentation of "sexual health curriculum."
Not only did such "educational materials" as the videos described earlier, offend parents who were trying to instill strong family values and moral principles in their children, but parents were neither consulted nor informed of these materials beforehand, so as to give consent to them. The Education Act states that parents are the prime educators of their children; thus, parents need to be involved in their child's school experience.
Because the municipal government funds Hamilton's Public Health Department, the Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Municipal Council responded to presentations of concern from the Family Action Council and other groups, by creating in 1998 the Hamilton-Wentworth Sexual Health Network. The Network has been working up to the present day, with representation from both Boards of Education (Public Board - Eleanor Johnstone; Separate Board- Theresa Hartnett) and several community organizations and individuals, including the Family Action Council and Canadians for Positive Community Standards. The current aim is to change the direction of sex education in the Hamilton-Wentworth area.
To bolster the paradigm-change within the public educational system, the IDEAS PROGRAM, created and piloted in certain schools by professor Deanna Behnke-Cooke, is aimed at teaching healthy decision-making to children, using a peer-mentoring approach. Ms. Behnke-Cooke also sits on the Network, and her program is funded by the Municipality through the Public Health budget.
Public Health staff, together with Board of Education staff, have been re-writing the sex-ed curriculum on an on-going basis, and under the very watchful eye of the Family Action Council. Certain "bad" curriculum has been corrected, and more has yet to be improved; however, a new level of sensitivity and guardedness has developed within both Boards of Education: trustees and superintendents are very "tuned in" to parental concerns today. And curriculum itself is improving.
Finally, now in 2002, initial products have been developed by the "Network" to truly support the choice of "Abstinence," not only in the school system, but consistently throughout the community. The posters have received "rave reviews," and the challenge now is to get the "I'm Worth The Wait" message into as many teen venues as possible. Business and corporate sponsorship will be sought to help spread the message in any way possible. To that end, any and all ideas from members of the Family Action Council are welcome!
Congratulations to Jim Enos, Chair of the local Family Action Council's Healthy Living Committee, who has worked tirelessly communicating with Public Health, City Council, and representatives on the "Network" over the past four years. Lynne Scime, representing the Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council, and Cleda Yachetti representing Canadians for Positive Community Standards, thank everyone for their prayers and support in this important work on behalf of our precious young people.
by Cleda Yachetti
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