The chair of the Simcoe County District School Board says the comment by Premier Doug Ford suggesting there will be consequences for elementary school teachers that don't follow the interim sex-ed curriculum was disappointing.
Peter Beacock says given the tone of the government's messaging, and in order to protect its teachers, the board will be directing them to follow the interim curriculum that was released yesterday (WED).
He understands the unions have made it clear they will support their teachers legally.
Beacock says as a board they can't do that and must follow the government's rules.
Around issues such as cyberbullying and gender identity, Beacock still believes there is an opportunity to do a little bit of teaching around those topics to ensure student health, safety and inclusion.
He admits the government has put school boards and teachers in a precarious situation, adding it will make teachers think twice about what they are doing.
The interim curriculum contains lessons from 1998, rather than the updated 2015 curriculum approved by the previous Liberal government and was repealed by the Tories last month.
The Ford government said only students in Grades 1 to 8 will be taught the interim curriculum.
The government has also set up a hotline for anonymous calls if teachers don't use the old lessons.
Beacock says to go directly to a so-called snitch line is not the right approach.
He doesn't think it does anything for building confidence or relationships between parents and school boards, which he says is hugely important for the success of the students.
Beacock hopes parents would go to their school teachers and principals first to try and work things out before just heading straight to a so-called snitch line.
