No Means No

CURRICULUM

Excerpt from Edmonton Journal Op-Ed: No means no for Alberta's draft curriculum

By now it is clear that Albertans who contact the minister of education or their MLA with concerns about the draft curriculum will receive a standard email extolling its ostensible virtues, with no meaningful engagement with the concerns raised. When I expressed concerns about its potential impact on student and teacher wellness, the response from Minister Adriana LaGrange’s office blathered, “The draft K-6 physical education and wellness curriculum supports a strength-based approach that focuses on developing the whole individual and nurturing students in pursuing a healthy and active life.”

No it doesn’t. The tone-deaf response indicates there is no intent to change course. Why is this a problem? Let’s turn to a much-touted idea in this curriculum, that of consent.

The over-simplified version of consent described in the Kindergarten draft curriculum states, “Consent is giving permission or agreeing for something to happen” and “Consent is established by clearly communicating refusal and permission.” If Minister LaGrange were to attend to this kindergarten definition, she would know that consent has not and will not be given for this curriculum to be implemented in Alberta schools.