Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council,
Dedicated to Preserving Family Values
P.O. Box 105, Binbrook, ON CANADA L0R 1C0
ETFO (Elementary Teachers' Federation of ON) - LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) Curriculum Resource Materials - Additional Thoughts
- Both PACE and HWFAC have written to the School Board with our many concerns regarding the Board's consideration and possible approval of these materials.
- We concur that schools must teach respect for all people and that bullying should not be tolerated. Schools need to be safe for our children. We do not agree that all conducts must be embraced or even tolerated. Schools must sanction only behaviours which are safe physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- However, the ETFO materials promote homosexual and other thoughts and behaviour to be normal and healthy. They believe that the difficulties of the ‘LGBT' lay in the attitudes and ‘hatred' of others who are homophobic and heterosexist, ‘hatred' including all those who disagree.
- They further express the belief that parents, teachers and society in general are responsible for the expressions of ‘homophobia and heterosexism' exhibited by their children and students; therefore, curriculum to combat homophobia and heterosexism, and education on the gender identities and sexual desires of others must be forced on everyone, in every grade level, in most subjects.
- We have received mixed responses from the School Board to our letters to date. On the one hand, the Board Superintendent in charge of Curriculum Materials is not considering these materials at this time, but will let the Board's Equity Committee deal with it (but it isn't an ‘equity' issue). But on the other hand, it has been stated that some of the materials listed in the ETFO inventory may have been recommended by their staff as excellent resources, may already be in some schools, or are being considered by staff for inclusion in class or library collections. Furthermore, that some materials may align well with curriculum expectations and issues that are of great concern to schools, such as racism and harassment. The Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council, upon close study of many of the materials on the list, cannot see where any of these materials would be beneficial to our families' children, and we are awaiting their further response!
Parents must respond now! It is vitally important that parents make an appointment with their child's teacher immediately, meet your child's teacher, explain in a friendly but firm manner that multi-sexual orientation discussion is not suitable for your child and that having him/her leave the classroom while others do so is not a satisfactory resolution. Express firmly your desire to have your child's teacher sanction only behaviours which are safe physically, emotionally and spiritually.
by Gloria Turner
Top of Page
Back to Newsletter Articles
Back to HWFAC's Home Page