It’s been a Newsy couple of weeks, as both the volume of letters and variety of topics covered on our opinion pages here at the Advertiser would attest.
Ontario’s new health and physical education curriculum (And yes, that’s what it’s actually called, not “Sex Ed.”), is the subject of much of the buzz. Many seem to oppose it out of concern it will somehow usurp a parent’s right to convey information on topics of an intimate nature to their children. I am pretty sure nothing about the new approach stops parents from having whatever version of “the talk” they wish to engage in with their offspring, and good luck with that by the way.
The fact is, some form of sexual education has been part of the curriculum since at least the 1950s. I know that for sure, because that was when a film on the topic, which was still being shown to high school classes in these parts in the late 1970s, had clearly been made. I am unsure what impact those watching teens who took their fashion cues from Wally Cleaver literally sweat out scenarios such as asking a girl out on a date had on your class, but it went over more like comedy than drama where I went to school.
Quite frankly it is imperative to update the curriculum on a regular basis, and the last one, in 1998, was before many of the deadly serious internet-related relationship issues teens face today were an everyday reality. It’s not easy developing a program that will engage and educate teens on issues they are extremely reluctant to discuss with adults in the first place.
However, if I had to bet, I’d put my money on professional educators coming up with a better plan than somebody’s dad.
The idea of lessons that help kids deal with changing attitudes, social media, online safety and treating others with respect regardless of their personal characteristics should not be perceived as threatening. Perhaps such lessons could even prevent a teenage pregnancy, help a child make a decision not to bully another, maybe even stop kids from killing themselves because they feel “different.”
Unfortunately, in this digital age, misinformation is disseminated even more broadly than genuine journalism.
We owe it to our kids to educate ourselves on today’s realities before passing judgement based on outdated information and attitudes.
Roundabout revisited
Another safety-related issue providing fodder for our letter writers has been the controversial roundabout proposal in Arthur. Despite making a decision to include the project in the 2015 budget, Wellington County officials are displaying some due diligence by planning to meet with elected officials in Wellington North Township before proceeding with their proposal.
There is clearly significant public opposition to the plan, most of it based on concerns for pedestrian safety at an oddly-configured Frederick Street intersection, and county councillors are wise to ensure they are addressing those concerns before creating what many believe will be a traffic hazard. At the same time, opponents of the plan should ensure they are basing their opposition on good information, not assumptions.
Roundabouts are relatively new in this region and most of us are more familiar with them on routes travelled mainly by automobiles. Yet there is a considerable school of thought that considers roundabouts safer for pedestrians in certain situations than intersections controlled by other measures.
This debate, as well, is too important to let misinformation rule the day.
