COURTENAY, B.C – Ecole Puntledge Park School put forward a resolution to change the sexual education to the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Council, and it was unanimously approved.
According to a release from the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Council’s (BCCPAC), at their annual general meeting last weekend, Ecole Puntledge Park School sought an expansion of the sexual health curriculum.
One change they requested was to include all grades K-12, as the current curriculum ends in grade 10.
They also wanted to include the specific concepts of consent and on-line safety.
Ecole Puntledge Park School district parent advisory council representative, Shannon Aldinger says the current curriculum doesn’t even mention consent or on-line safety.
“Currently the word ‘consent’ is not mentioned even once in the BC curriculum, and that’s despite it (the curriculum) being completely revamped in the last decade,” said Aldinger.
She added that the parent council is hoping the Ministry of Education takes notice of the concerns that they have.
“Our hope is that the ministry hears this loud and clear, hears the high level of support that they have from parents across the province, and that they work actively and quickly to do their research and how to address these deficiencies.”
The resolution was unanimously approved by more than 200 parent delegates who voted in person or by proxy, and represented 70 percent of the school districts in the province (42 of 60).
There is no word on when, or if, the changes will be introduced to schools across British Columbia.
