QUEEN’S PARK – This week the effects of Ontario’s outdated sex-ed curriculum were put on display when many students across the province began to pull out of class.
“Everyone knows that pulling out works every time, as long as you get out of there before anything happens,” states Jen Pistare, a 17-year-old who is one of the many students using the pull-out method in protest. “If you stay in there for too long, you’re gonna learn something and then you’re screwed. But as long as you know when the learning is about to come and you pull yourself out in time, you’ll be fine.”
Pistare added, “Though we’re expecting it to get a bit messy, these protests often are.”
The Ontario government’s decision to revert back to an old 1998 curriculum, over the previously in-use curriculum from 2015, has received a lot of negative attention. Those who identify as Progressive Conservatives state that they feel attacked by these pull-out protests, with some suggesting that this discrimination against their lifestyle is unparalleled in nature.
“These students have absolutely no right to pull out of class,” says Bryan Wallin, a 47-year-old office worker. “No one gave them permission to just leave school like that. I have no idea why they think they can just do whatever they want without consent, but I don’t like it. Someone needs to teach these kids about respect and consent.”
Until the curriculum is properly updated to today’s standards, many students say they will continue to pull out frequently, a movement which is being referred to as “Student Transmitted Ideas”.
These STIs will likely spread across the population as a result of Doug Ford’s policies, an unfortunate consequence of his election caused by those who were taught to abstain from voting.
