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Alternate sex-ed plan from Catholic superintendents draws ire

An expert in sexual minorities studies says he’s disturbed by a proposal from Catholic school superintendents on an alternative sex-ed class.

The province rejected the curriculum, and on Tuesday, Premier Rachel Notley said she’s concerned about how it suggested homosexuality, safe sex, and the importance of consent will clash with faith-based instruction.

Dr. Kristopher Wells of the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education says the lessons leave out core scientific facts, and he notes these are not church-run schools.

“I haven’t heard of any cases where a completely separate curriculum has been proposed based on religious beliefs, with any expectation that that would be implemented in publicly-funded schools. That’s the big difference here.”

With STI rates rising among young Albertans, Wells adds it’s all the more important to equip students with facts that will benefit their health.

“We can’t keep burying our head in the sand and pretending that these rates don’t exist or that somehow magically they’re going to go down. What we need to do is equip young people with good, age-appropriate, evidence-based information.”

In a statement released Wednesday, the Council of Catholic School Superintendent of Alberta said it’s been working alongside the government and the proposal was submitted in the spring.

“All potential human sexuality topics can be taught in Catholic schools, and authentically framed from the Catholic perspective,” stated President Karl Germann. THE CCSSA resource is intended to complement the prescribed Alberta Education wellness curriculum; it is not intended to replace the provincially mandated outcomes.”

The statement also said, “It would be our intention to continue to work together with the government now and in the future.”

Catholic superintendents will submit an alternative plan to the province in about three weeks.