Sex Education | A right violated again and again

Sexuality education is a “violated right” among young people in Quebec, denounced, three years ago, a coalition bringing together a large number of community organizations working in this field. Alas, nothing seems to have changed today.

Last month, we reported in our pages that teenagers in Quebec are still too numerous to “have hardly had any sex education at school” upon leaving high school.

The offer is still variable in geometry. And it is deplorable.

Of course, the pandemic has contributed to weakening this offer. We had not yet overcome, throughout the network, the difficulties inherent in the implementation of such content. The health crisis has been an additional obstacle.

Let us remember, however, that the first pilot project in this dossier was launched in 2015… It has already been seven years! Are we going to have to wait a long time before finally being able to say that we are offering our young people knowledge as fundamental as what they learn in their French or mathematics lessons?

It would be unacceptable.

Let us specify here that our elected officials do not twiddle their thumbs. Last year, the CAQ government formalized the disappearance of the Ethics and Religious Culture course. The latter will be replaced by a course in Quebec Culture and Citizenship, which must include sex education.

Giving sex education a real place in the school timetable is a major change, the impact of which should not be underestimated.

As a reminder: in 2018, Quebec added 5 to 15 hours of sex education classes in Quebec schools. Immediately, everyone applauded. But quickly, the teachers said they had trouble finding where to integrate these new notions into an already overflowing schedule.

With a specific course and a designated teacher, we are in a way returning to the era of the Personal and Social Training (FPS) course, which disappeared in the 2000s. It is therefore a clear progress.

But beware. Experts in this field warn those who would dare to believe that this is a miracle solution. The devil is in the details. And the Ministry of Education, which is currently working on the content of the Culture and Citizenship of Quebec course, would do well not to forget it.

If notions of sex education have too often gone to the edge in recent years, it’s not just because of the pandemic, we are told. It is also because there are still unease among the teachers who are responsible for it.

These demand, above all, more support. Not all teachers feel equipped and ready to intervene adequately if they are challenged by their students on issues such as those relating to sexual violence, for example.

Several specialized stakeholders are already lending a hand to educational institutions. They are ready to do more.

However, they wonder if the resources will be there.

The ÉduSex coalition, which brings together around a hundred members – including a majority of community organizations – estimates that Quebec injects less than $5 per student each year “to allow schools to provide sex education courses” and that It is insufficient.

Some also wonder about the training that will be offered to future teachers of the Culture and Citizenship of Quebec course and the content of the notions of sexuality education that they will have to discuss with their students. The content of the training offered in recent years had been approved by the Professional Order of Sexologists of Quebec, but the past is no guarantee of the future.

Let’s remember in closing that the announcement of the Culture and Citizenship course in Quebec last year took the form of a political marketing stunt. So much enthusiasm was premature. You will allow us to judge the tree by its fruits, particularly with regard to sex education.