By Patrick B. Craine
TORONTO, Ontario, August 31, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Ontario government’s equity and inclusive education strategy is “a program of child indoctrination” that “represents a frontal assault on the moral & religious values of a majority of parents, and a trampling of their parental rights,” argues the political pro-life and pro-family group Campaign Life Coalition (CLC). The group is calling for the strategy to be scrapped and is urging concerned individuals to join their campaign.
Premier Dalton McGuinty is “getting ready to reprogram your children’s moral values,” says CLC national president Jim Hughes in a video message launching the group’s campaign. He says the strategy was “heavily influenced by gay activists” and is a “smokescreen” that CLC fears will be used to “promote and celebrate the gay lifestyle.”
The Ontario Ministry of Education launched the strategy in April 2009, mandating that every school board in the province develop an equity policy by this September that outlines their commitment to inclusion based on the grounds listed in the Ontario Human Rights Code, including “sexual orientation.” The boards are then expected to revise all policies and practices to align with this commitment to “equity.”
Dan Di Rocco, a former principal in the Catholic system, says in the video message that while the strategy is praiseworthy for offering equal opportunities to students, it “over-reaches,” and “may present challenges to the integrity of schools as moral agents, resulting in moral confusion and systemic conflicts.”
He notes, further, that there is an “inherent conflict between Catholic moral principles and the Ontario Human Rights Code.” “Which will take precedence when these clash in the classroom?” he asks.
In a detailed analysis, CLC argues that the Ministry is using the themes of diversity, equity, and inclusive education as “Trojan horses” to “avoid parental scrutiny.”
They note that the Ministry consulted numerous homosexualist groups in developing the strategy, such as the LGBTQ Parenting Network, Queer Ontario, and Egale Canada.
Further, they point out that the strategy documents hold out the Toronto District School Board’s participation in the Toronto Pride Parade, as a suggestion to other school boards of ‘equity-related work’ that they should engage in. CLC and others have dubbed Toronto Pride a “sex parade” for its rampant public nudity and glorification of illicit sex acts. As evidence, CLC has posted photos from the 2010 parade, behind a warning.
Additionally, they observe that former Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne, who spearheaded the strategy, demanded that through the strategy Ontario schools begin “moving beyond tolerance to acceptance.”
“Does this mean that the homosexual lifestyle must be ‘accepted’ by students as normal, natural and healthy – not just tolerated?” CLC asks.
Further, they report that the strategy document states that as part of “inclusive education,” students should “see themselves reflected in their curriculum.” In a related strategy document, the Ministry suggests fulfilling this principle regarding homosexuality by using “texts written by gay/lesbian authors.”
The strategy, they conclude, “has less to do with equity and inclusivity, and more to do with thought control and social engineering.”
“Clearly, this EIE Strategy conceals a gay agenda with the goal of bringing about a pro-gay sexual revolution through the indoctrination of the next generation of children,” they add.
The group is calling pro-family Canadians to take action by e-mailing or phoning school board trustees, directors of education, and MPPs. Phone numbers are available on CLC’s website, and through the site one can send an automatic e-mail, with an option to include a customized message. They also suggest forming a citizen’s group of concerned parents in local areas through which to lobby the school board and the government.
For more information about Campaign Life Coalition’s campaign against the Ontario equity strategy, visit the website here.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Equity Training for Ontario Catholic Boards: Homosexuality ‘Normal’, ‘Natural’
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10062902.html
‘Equity’: Ontario School Board Nixes Christian References in Policy
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10062311.html
Ontario Gvmt to Host Symposium on “Equity” for School Trustees
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10060208.html
Levant, Stefanowicz Trounce Imposition of Pro-Gay Policy on all Ontario Schools
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10060207.html
Ontario Gvmt Won’t Say Whether Catholic Schools Can Teach Beliefs on Homosexuality
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jan/10010807.html