With September comes the start of a new school year. This year looks very different than previous ones with students attending classes either in school or from home. This already complicated situation is exacerbated by the threat of another COVID wave.
And while all of these concerns are real and valid, one thing still in place is the provincial government's 2019 sex-education curriculum. This curriculum was meant to replace the 2015 curriculum of the former government. The positives worth mentioning are that it includes discussions on vaping and opioids. The biggest shortfall of the updated curriculum is the government's decision to move conversations about gender identity to grade 8.
Grade 8 is too late for children to learn about gender identity. Children are able to form a stable understanding of their gender identity before the age of 3 and should therefore be having conversations about gender identity in the classroom way before they turn 13. If a child is questioning their gender, this will help them better understand their feelings and equip them with the language they need to communicate with their parents and friends.
Additionally, we are meeting more parents whose children are asking for help transitioning at a younger age and they need to have a safe classroom environment to learn and grow. That safe environment starts with encouraging discussions around gender identity in a healthy manner early on in their education.
Toronto Pflag worked in collaboration with other Pflag chapters to conduct a letter writing campaign to Education Minister Stephen Lecce. If you feel similarly about the need to educate students about gender identity early on in a child's education, we encourage readers to write to Stephen Lecce (we even have a template you can use). Gender can't wait until Grade 8.
Feel free to adapt the template below if you wish, or send it as is if it expresses your message. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS! This is how government agencies track constituent feedback.
_________________
SEND AN EMAIL TO STEPHEN LECCE (stephen.lecce@pc.ola.org)
OR BY POSTAL MAIL TO: Hon. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, 438 University Ave (5th Floor), Toronto, ON M5G 2K8
Dear Minister Lecce,
I know the Ministry of Education is facing a lot of challenges this year, getting everyone through the school year safely. The emphasis has been on navigating the pandemic, and of course that is extremely important. But the safety of our kids requires more. Changes to the Health and Physical Education Curriculum in 2019 included much that the community was hoping for: consent, mental health and sexual orientation are handled well. However, as you know, the new curriculum leaves discussion about gender identity and expression to the last half of grade eight.
Gender can’t wait until Grade 8.
Both the Canadian Pediatric Society and the American Medical Association say children confidently know their gender by age two. It is not unusual to have children start to express their true gender in pre-school and in the primary grades. These children will need support and understanding, and teachers will need to understand gender non-conforming kids and be comfortable answering students’ questions.
Of course, it would be best to add it back to the curriculum for younger students,. But at the very least, teachers need resources on gender to comfortably handle situations in their classrooms. I encourage you to work with members of the trans community to prepare materials for teachers of students younger than those in grade 8. Below are two organizations that would be willing to help:
Toronto Trans Coalition Project (https://transcoalitionproject.com)
Toronto Pflag (https://www.torontopflag.org)
Sincerely,
Name:
Address: