Ontario's New (Old) Sex Ed. Curriculum

What a time to live in North America, to live in Ontario, where we now have our own version of Donald Trump. The similarities, the same simplistic thinking is scary and shocking.

The Ford government's decision, to revert back to the 1998 sex ed curriculum is so short-sighted. While watching an interview with a local teachers union representative, I was reminded of just how complicated this whole process really is. Doug Ford thinks you just make the decision and bingo, it's back to 1998. This teacher rep got me thinking about more logical questions like:

Where are the 1998 curriculum documents?
Teachers are just now trained on the 2015 curriculum. No doubt teachers have been creating their own carefully thought-out lesson plans,to achieve the objectives of the curriculum. Do those all get tossed?
Do teachers include any of the new material?
How do they answer students' questions, when students are now faced issues that didn't even exist in 1998, like sexting and cyberbullying?

The social conservatives that Ford is pleasing say that parents weren't consulted about the new 2015 document. "Wrong" said then premier Wynne, during the election campaign:

"It's just not true," she told reporters at an event in Toronto. "Parents were consulted. Psychologists, psychiatrists, police, people who live in communities and are concerned about the safety of young people were consulted."

About 4,000 parents, as well as child development professions, were given an opportunity to weigh in on the changes to the curriculum, Wynne noted."

And who do we have now, at the helm of Ontario schools, as we make this sudden shift in direction? The new minister of education actually has no background in education. Lisa Thompson is a goat farmer! I kid you not!

In a July 11th memo she did a good job of parroting her boss. "I can assure you that help is on the way. We will be working hard to better prepare our kids for the challenges of work and life."

However, I digress. What's an Ontario parent to do, in this confusing situation? As the social conservatives say, sex education is a parent's job. That's true but at best, parents should be discussing at home, what is being taught at school. Parents and teachers should always be partners in education. If possible, parents might want to latch onto a hard copy of the 2015 curriculum or download a copy while it's still on line. 

As a grandparent (and retired teacher) it would be handy to have a copy. There are all kinds of issues that my grandchildren will have to face, that I'm simply not familiar with. I'd like to be able to answer their questions accurately, with well thought out materials. I'd like to take advantage of the years of research, consultation and expert advice that went into the creation of the 2015 document. It's a scary world out there and keeping these materials away from teachers, students and families is putting students at risk.

Doug Ford would have us go back to the good old days. How many novels have we all read, where children were sexually assaulted because of their lack of knowledge? How many real life tragedies have occurred because children didn't have the basic facts, and never had a discussion with an adult, about appropriate touching or consent.? How dare he discard the progress that has been made in teaching this important area of the curriculum? 

But hey, at least I'll be able to buy beer at my corner store - that's what's really important.

July 21 Update
Click here to read David Reevely's Ottawa Citizen article on this issue.

The Power of Music

As I make my way through this sad season and struggle to accept the reality of life without Dad, I have been comforted lately by the healing power of music.

We've been to a few memorable concerts. The musicians involved were no spring chickens; they were all older than me. From time to time I encounter a definite feeling of ageism, an attitude from younger folks, that those of us with gray hair are pretty well finished. The musicians that I've recently encountered are examples of vital, productive, inspiring seniors.

On the May long weekend we were in Toronto. Happily, our visit coincided with a series of free concerts by Fred Penner, at Harbourfront. Our grandchildren were so excited to be seeing Fred in person, again. (The Cat Came Back is usually on repeat on their car stereo. Can you still say stereo?)
It was a brilliant sunny day as we made our way to the spacious concert area, right beside Lake Ontario. Fred Penner at 71, is as busy as ever. As he said in a recent interview,  "The phone keeps ringing." During the concert he told us that if we want to see him in Toronto next spring, he'll be at Roy Thompson Hall, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra!

Onstage he is funny, enthusiastic, warm and entertaining. It was heart-warming for me to hear him sing his new song, Celebrate Being. It's a simple message that I needed to hear. The audience was made up of kids and adults of all ages. Penner refers to his old fans as "Fredheads." We all lapped up his jokes and songs. Afterwards he patiently met with fans for photos. It was a privilege to meet him.

A few weeks later we were in Toronto again. We attended another "children's" concert, this time with Raffi. Years ago, when we lived in Brampton, we took our  kids to several Raffi concerts. His Christmas album is always playing as we decorate our Christmas tree. Raffi, also has a name for his older fans. We are Beluga grads, named for his hit, Baby Beluga.

Again, Raffi is still a great entertainer, with a really beautiful voice. His enthusiasm,  jokes, and earth friendly songs like One Light One Sun and Inch by Inch, went over very well with the audience at Roy Thomspn Hall that afternoon.

If there's a highlight in this concert list, is has to be the Paul Simon concert at the Air Canada Centre, on June 12th. Again, Simon is getting up there. He's 76 and has called this tour  Homeward Bound. He says it's his last, so that's why I was desperate to hear him again.

What a night! Simon walked out on stage and the crowd leapt to their feet to give him his first standing ovation of the night. He started with America,

"Kathy, I'm lost I said, though I knew she was sleeping.
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why.
Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike
They've all come to look for America
All come to look for America."   before speaking to the crowd.

America was very much on his mind.  "Thank you." he started. "Oh no, Thank You", is what we answered, with another thunderous ovation. He then referred to President Trump's comments to Prime Minister Trudeau after the G7 conference.  "That's not what is in the hearts and minds of Americans. " he assured us. "We'll always be family." Again, we were all on our feet, to thank him for that.

Near the end he sang the hauntingly beautiful American Tune, from 1973.

"But it's alright, it's alright.
For we lived so well so long.
Still when I think of the road we're travelling' on
I wonder what's gone wrong,
I can't help it, I wonder what has gone wrong."

When I bought the tickets for this concert I was just thinking about hearing Paul Simon. I didn't think about who might appear with him. It was such a bonus to have so many fine musicians on stage. He never treated them like backup, like afterthoughts. Through his words, onstage position and gestures he honoured his fellow musicians and gave them the spotlight on many occasions. They were all, regardless of their age or experience, a vital part of the musical extravaganza. I especially enjoyed the horn section and their part in such hits as, You Can Call Me Al.

The concert seemed to be ending with another energetic horn performance in Late in the Evening. Everyone left the stage but of course, after a sufficient frenzy of cheering and clapping,  he came back on stage. This time though he was alone; just Paul Simon and his acoustic guitar.  He sat down and played Homeward Bound and we all sang along. It could have been any campfire or house party from the 60's or 70's, with some friend leading the group in song, but it was Paul Simon and all of us, thousands of us, singing along in unison, every word, just like we did in our youth.

Maybe that's the thing. For those brief moments we were those teenagers again, singing those earnest songs of our youth, with as much enthusiasm as ever. It was magical. When he sang Bridge Over Troubled Water, I was transported back to my high school bedroom, with that album playing over and over again, on my little red and white plastic record player.

After twenty-five songs he ended with Sounds of Silence. It was one of those nights you didn't want to end. You just wanted to be with him, singing along to those wonderful songs, with the guy who created them.

The following day we were in Peterborough, to visit my mother-in-law. who is living with dementia.
Pat brought her and a few residents to the dining room and sat down at the piano. Once he started playing, more residents joined us, and sang along to old classics like Take Me Out to the Ballgame  and Irene Goodnight. It was quite the contrast to the 20 000 plus crowd at the ACC, the previous night, but the effect was similar. For the time that we sang with them, the residents there were connected to each other in song. Even those who now barely speak were smiling and singing along and totally into the musical experience. For that short time, they were outside of their usual daily experience and part of the music itself. They were actively creating music and feeling good about that.

So from the toddlers at the Raffi concert to the older kids at the Fred Penner event, to the boomers at Paul Simon, to the seniors at the long term care residence...we were all lifted out of our everyday lives and connected to each other by the power of music.

For a lovely, online musical experience, check out Paul McCartney's Carpool Karaoke with James Corden.  (Click here) At seventy-six, he's still having a great time creating and sharing music. The faces on the pub crowd, who enjoyed his surprise concert, pretty well sum up everything I've been saying.