Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with friends and family. It is hard to believe it is now 2012! I thought I would focus this post around bullying and Bill 13 that is in its second reading debate.
Before getting into Bill 13, I want to remind everyone about the current Bill 157-Safe Schools Act. This bill requires all school staff to report to principals when they become aware that students may have engaged in behaviour for which they could be suspended or expelled. Remember it is both your legal and professional duty to complete these reports.
Bill 13- Accepting Schools Act is a bill that the McGuinty government wants to pass to amend the Education Act to better address bullying and other matters. Some of the amendments include having a written definition of bullying and making the schools more equitable and inclusive to include LGBTTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, two-spirited, interssexed, queer and questioning) people.
To read the full Bill 13 you can go to
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet&BillID=2549
This bill has created quite the conversation amongst different groups. Below you can read some newspaper editorials and columinists’ views regarding the Accepting Schools Act. I want to thank you for taking the time to read my post and I welcome all questions and comments. Please feel free to email me at
parsonsmlorelei@gmail.com .
Lorelei-Political Action Rep
TORONTO STAR
Anti-bullying bill a front for ‘sex ed’ agenda, groups say
December 06, 2011
Tanya Talaga
A church versus state battle is erupting at Queen’s Park.
Some Christian and Jewish groups are denouncing Premier Dalton McGuinty’s anti-bullying legislation, calling it a front for his “radical sex education” agenda.
The Institute for Canadian Values held a news conference Tuesday, condemning the premier for a section of the new anti-bullying legislation that allows for all publicly funded school boards to “host gay clubs.”
The Institute’s president is Dr. Charles McVety, a politically savvy evangelist who was against proposed changes to the provincial physical health and education curriculum last year. Those changes included discussing same-sex couples with Grade 3 students.
“We don’t understand why this keeps coming back,” McVety said.
But speaking in Windsor, McGuinty denounced his critics by strongly saying Catholic schools “will have gay-straight alliances.”
“Are there gay children attending Catholic schools in Ontario? Yes. Are there gay teachers teaching in Catholic schools in Ontario? Yes,” McGuinty told reporters.
“The purpose of our accepting schools act is to send a strong signal to all Ontarians, of all faiths and backgrounds, all places of origin, culture, ethnicities, in our province and our publicly funded schools — schools will be warm and accepting of all our children, regardless of their sexual orientation as well.”
The anti-bullying legislation, created after recent high-profile youth suicides including that of Ottawa teen Jamie Hubley, was introduced by the Liberals last week. The 15-year-old said he was bullied due to his sexual orientation.
“I fully expect Catholic kids will use the word ‘gay,’ ” said McGuinty. “I fully expect Catholic teachers will use the word ‘gay’ and as a Catholic premier in Ontario, I am going to talk about gay kids.”
Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees sponsored the press conference at Queen’s Park and while a handful of Tory MPPs were in attendance, PC Leader Tim Hudak distanced himself from McVety’s views.
“There should be, in all our public schools, some committee to help students who are being bullied for sexual orientation — also for disability, race, religious background, what have you,” he said, adding that includes Catholic schools.
But there is a time and place for everything, said Rondo Thomas, of the Toronto-based Evangelical Association, but there is no “time and place” in an 8-year-old’s mind to try to make them conceptualize something beyond “tying their shoes.”
“The anti-bullying legislation that Mr. McGuinty is proposing constitutes a violation of our religious freedoms that are guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and further to that, it violates the common law of separation of church and state,” he said.
The backlash to introducing this bill could be “quite severe,” he said.
Thomas even evoked the premier’s mother into the mix. “The premier’s mother said to him, ‘Dalton, I didn’t raise you this way,’ ” he said.
However, the premier’s office later told the Star they had no idea what Thomas was talking about.
The premier is misguided on the anti-bullying legislation and it really is an attack on faith-based schools, said Jack Fonseca of the Campaign Life Coalition. Mendel Kaplan, of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis and one of the religious leaders holding the press conference, agreed.
Fonseca accused McGuinty of trying to force Catholic schools to act against the wishes of the bishops. “That is a violation of Catholic rights in Ontario,” he said.
Kaplan said he believes “the legislation encroaches on our religious freedoms.”
Fonseca also attacked McGuinty’s faith, calling him a convenient Catholic during election time when he needs votes.
“Dalton McGuinty is unfortunately not a great Catholic on the moral issues. He supports abortion on demand, taxpayer funding of abortion and he supports gay marriage,” Fonseca said.
But the Liberals shot back at the institute during question period.
There is nothing “radical” making sure every student has the tools to succeed in school, said Education Minister Laurel Broten.
“The official Opposition needs to be clear where they stand — there is no room for division.”
TORONTO SUN
Toronto Sun
Anti‐bullying bill hijacked by special interests
BY CHRISTINA BLIZZARD ,QMI AGENCY
TORONTO - No one disputes that schools need to do more about bullying.
Anyone who’s had a child go through the public school system knows it is a real and prevalent problem.
No one disputes, either, that gay and lesbian young people are often the target of bullying.
The recent suicides of so many young people highlights that young people who are just coming to terms with their
sexuality are often the targets of taunts and aggression.
Then again, bullies target any youngster who’s different ? whether they look different, speak differently, or are from
the wrong side of the tracks.
Last week, the government announced its new “Accepting Schools Act,” which seeks to address the gnawing issue.
What’s apparent from the proposed new law is that it views bullying very much through the prism of gay and lesbian
abuse.
In fact, the bill sounds more like a political statement about gay rights than a piece of legislation.
“Students need to be equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitude and values to engage the world and others
critically, which means developing a critical consciousness that allows for them to take action on making their schools
and communities more equitable and inclusive for all people, including LGBTTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgendered, transsexual, intersexed and questioning) people,” the bill says in part.
One section says that organizations renting space in schools must also adhere to those principles ? and that’s a
problem for some religious schools that rent space from the public school system.
At a news conference Tuesday, reps from Catholic, Jewish and Evangelical faiths, as well as Dr. Charles McVety of
the Canada Christian College complained that the new legislation is “an affront to their family values.”
Whether you agree with them or not, the point is that parents who put their children in religious schools do so for a
reason. They want their children educated according to their beliefs.
“It is an affront to the faith-based values millions of people hold dear,” said McVety.
When it was pointed out that Premier Dalton McGuinty is Catholic, Jack Fonseca from Campaign Life said the
premier is, “not a very strong Catholic,” especially since he supports state-funded abortion, and gay marriage.
The point here is not whether you agree or disagree with their viewpoint. The point is that you can’t tell people what to
believe ? even if you’re the premier of the province.
Yes, Catholic schools are state-funded, but Catholics have a constitutional right to educate their children according to
their beliefs.
And it will take a brave politician who seeks a constitutional amendment to change that.
Education Minister Laurel Broten said Tuesday that Catholic school trustees and Catholic teachers support her
announcement.
That’s not the point. Those individuals don’t represent the church’s teaching any more than McGuinty does.
The Liberals would have been better to stick with Tory Elizabeth Witmer’s bill.
It addresses bullying. Full stop. It doesn’t attempt to use the law as a form of social engineering or thought control.
As it is, the new law has been hijacked by special interests who are more concerned about getting gay/straight
alliances in schools than they are in dealing with bullying.
To force this on private religious schools that just happen to rent space in the public system is wrong.
Why can’t McGuinty get it right? The urgent need now is to deal with bullying.
It doesn’t matter who’s getting hurt or why ? all bullying has to stop: Now.
GLOBE AND MAIL
Globe Editorial
Ontario’s anti-bully strategy not radical, and not about sex, but tolerance
Dec. 07, 2011
When Canadian teenagers commit suicide because they are bullied, and they are bullied because
of their sexual orientation, it is the job of educators, parents and society to help protect them. To
end their needless suffering. To keep them alive.
If gay-straight support groups in Ontario schools succeed in preventing even one student from
taking his or her own life, then such alliances are worthwhile. The Ontario Liberal government’s
new anti-bullying legislation requires public school boards to support these alliances, in the
hopes that they will help vulnerable students feel less isolated, and will help prevent
homophobia.
And yet, an organization that purports to “be a think tank dedicated to advancing knowledge of
public policy from a Judeo-Christian perspective” believes that the legislation is wrong. That the
bill is not, in fact, an effort to prevent bullying, but “a radical sex education agenda”. The
Institute for Canadian Values predicts a mass exodus of children from the public and separate
school systems as a result of the bill, without offering any data to support this conclusion. (The
bill, in fact, already contains a questionable compromise for Catholic schools, noting that while
all schools must support gay-straight student support groups, these alliances do not have to be
known by this label.)
The bill doesn’t talk at all about sex. It does note that for all students to feel safe at school, the
climate must be inclusive, accepting and equitable. Students must learn to include those who are
different in any way, including those who question their sexuality, or who already identify as gay
or bisexual. This is hardly a “radical sex education agenda”.
Will parents really rise up and opt to pay $10,000-$30,000 a year for their children to attend a
private school so they can avoid being taught not to be guided by prejudice and hate, and not to
bully others who are different through no fault or choice of their own?
Inclusion and tolerance are appropriate educational goals. Legislation which supports the
prevention of bullying of students is sound public policy. There is nothing radical -- or sexual --
about this.
